Destiny of One
by J.Alana1
Summary: The sequel to After Impact. Hope Ikari is an adult and an officer in the military. All her life she's been an overachiver but she's had a broken heart. Now Hope's life is about to change when she meets a mysterious man and faces destiny.
1. Chapter 1

Destiny of One by J.Alana 2005, July. This story is based on Evangelion & End of Evangelion by Hideki Anno. Licensed through Gainax. ADV Films. This story is being written purely just for fun, I own no rights to these characters.

PROLOGUE 

I have to say thank you to the many of you who wrote great reviews for _After Impact_. It also caused me to think maybe there could be a sequel to that fanfiction. Writing After Impact wasn't to gain acclaim, or fame or noterity, I just wanted to know that I could do it and maybe help me to finish my own original work that I hope to finish sometime later this year.

After _After Impact_ was finished, so many of you wrote and begged me to write a sequel and I tried to think how I could go about it. After much planning and thinking and a little bit of time off, I've done it.

Here's your sequel. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter One.

It was a hot day as she leaned up against a pillar dressed in full uniform with her arms crossed. Her short amber hair shimmered in the sunlight and she rolled her blue eyes out of frustration.

She sighed. She was bored. She didn't like waiting and it seemed like since he moved here all she did everyday was wait for him.

_Where is he now? _She thought to herself. The uniform was uncomfortable as the sun beat down on her, she sighed again and checked her watch. _C'mon, Little Brother, let's go! I don't have all day!_

She hated this. _Everyday it was the same activity. Four o'clock, pick him up, take him back to the apartment, listen to him jabber about his day and then go to bed. C'mon, Little Brother get a move on all ready!_

Her patience was wearing thin. The black uniform was making her sweat and her gold rank designating her as a captain shimmered in the sunlight.

"Hey Sis!" A voice called out as she turned her head upwards to the building.

A young man with brown hair and blue eyes ran down the stairs. He was tall with a good build and a large smile across his face. Over his shoulders he had a backpack. He wore a t shirt and khaki shorts with brown leather sandals. People were following students, like him, laughing, smiling. He seemed to attract attention anywhere he went.

_Mr. Center of Attention_. She thought as she shook her head. _Exactly like you, Little Brother. _

"See ya guys later!" he called out to them as he ran down the stairs. "Hey Sis!" he said with a wide smile. "Been waiting long?"

"Oh, let's see." She growled. "Only about twenty minutes, Souke!"

"Sorry." He said as he put his hand behind his neck. "Just…. there was this girl that I've been trying to go out with for a while in my class…. and well, she finally said yes! She said yes, Hope! It was awesome! She's so sweet and funny! She's very pretty and nice and smart! I think she's the one, Hope! I really do!"

"That's nice, Souke." She said in an annoyed tone. "C'mon let's go."

"What's the matter, Hope?" Souke asked her as they began to walk down to the sidewalk. "You seem grumpy today?"

"I didn't feel like waiting all day for you, Souke! When I tell you I'm going to be here at sixteen hundred hours, you be out here by sixteen hundred, got it?"

"Sixteen hundred?" Souke asked.

"FOUR O'CLOCK!" Hope growled.

"C'mon, Hope." Souke said with a chuckle. "You sound like Mom. Don't be so grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy!" Hope snapped. "I just…. don't like waiting!"

"Hey!" Souke said with a grin. "I'll make it up to you…. you up for sushi?"

Hope rolled her eyes and breathed out. "Sure."

"Great! I'll buy! Let me treat you today, Sis. It's the least I can do!"

"Okay, Souke. Just…. try not to be late. I don't mind picking you up after your class but can you at least try to be on time…for once!"

Souke laughed. "Okay, Hope. I'll try."

"You are just like Daddy sometimes, you know?"

"Cool." He said with a smirk.

Hope only rolled her eyes and muttered. "Idiot."

(Okay that's the start of the story. Here comes Chapter Two)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

Hope and Souke sat outside at a small stone table as they ate. Hope shook her head and she watched her younger brother and rolled her eyes.

"Must you inhale that!"? Hope growled.

"I'm hungry." He said. "I sat in class all day hearing Professor Abaci lecture about Third Impact. Do you think…. you can cut me some slack, Sis?"

"Well the way you are eating is making me sick." Hope growled.

Souke again laughed. "Grossing you out is the highlight of my day!"

"Baka!" Hope growled.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Souke teased as he ate his dinner. "Take a chill pill, Sis."

"Take…. a chill pill?" Hope asked. "Don't speak to me like that! I'm telling you that your table manners are terrible."

"Okay, Hope." Souke said as he put down his chopsticks and looked at her. "What's eating you today? You're grumpier then usual. Something's wrong. Spill it."

Hope sighed. Souke her little brother was her best friend in the whole world and she knew she couldn't hide anything from him if she tried. "I got passed over for promotion."

"Oh, Hope. I'm sorry." Souke said.

"It's not fair, Souke." Hope said as she looked down. "I worked so hard, y'know. I do everything I'm supposed to. Why did they pass me over? I'm due for major…. it's only fair."

"You should call Mom up and have her pull some strings. Couldn't hurt y'know?" Souke suggested.

"No." Hope said. "The last thing I need to hear is I got promoted because of my mother. I want to do it on my own. I want it to be on my own merit."

"Hey, Hope, did you ever think maybe you try too hard?" Souke asked.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?" Hope boomed as she stood up from the table with a vein popping out from her forehead. "TRY TO HARD? I WORK AS HARD AS I CAN! I'VE PUSHED MYSELF MY WHOLE LIFE! I WORKED SO HARD THROUGH SCHOOL, THE ACADEMY…. EVERYTHING! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT TO ME? HOW CAN YOU?"

"Hope," Souke said gently trying to soothe his sister's temper. ", I just mean that sometimes brass can pick up on the fact that you are really bucking too much for a promotion. If they detect it they may think that maybe once you get it you'll slow down. Why don't you just try to stop being Ms. Overachiever for once and just trying to be Captain Hope Ikari who is straight up and honest and forthright? Be the person I know. Be the person you know you are."

Hope sighed. She knew he was right. She sat down and smiled at her little brother who no matter how many times she yelled at him never greeted her with anything less then a smile. "Maybe you're right."

"Oh what was that?" Souke asked teasingly. "Did…. oh my god! Did my sister actually say…I was right?"

"Oh shut up!" Hope said with a smirk.

"You did, didn't you?"

"I said, shut up!" Hope growled with another laugh.

"Ha ha!" Souke said as he pointed at her with a grin. "You said I was right! First time for everything."

"Okay, okay!" Hope said with another smirk. "Don't let it go to your head, you idiot!"

"Heh heh." Souke said with a grin. "At least I made you laugh."

"That you did." Hope said with a smile.

"You know you should smile more often…you might actually get a boyfriend one of these days."

Hope shot a look at him. "You little creep!" She growled.

"I meant that as a complement." Souke said. "You were always all about school, all about work…. having a guy would be good for you again, Hope. I haven't seen you date once since I've moved here. In fact, I haven't seen you date since…"

"I don't have time." Hope said with a frown.

Souke picked up on that right away. "Don't have time or don't want to make the time?"

"Stop." She growled.

"Hope, it's been four years. When are you going to let it go?"

"I never said…"

"Hope, I know you too well." Souke said gently. "I know how you feel. You have to let him go."

Hope breathed out. "I don't want to talk about him, Souke."

"Hope, I just mean that you know with all of the stress and the pressures at work…you could use somebody to help you through those rough stops. I'm always here for you but you know maybe one day…you could meet a nice guy. There's this professor at school who always asks me about you…"

"I don't want to be fixed up." She growled.

"Why not?" Souke asked. "What do you got to lose?"

"Well, what if I don't like him?" Hope asked. "What if I think he's boorish and stupid and gross?"

"Then you climb out of the bathroom window at dinner." Souke chuckled.

Hope smirked. "You're weird."

"I know." Souke said. "You should though at least try…."

"Stop bringing it up, Souke." Hope growled. "I don't want to date anybody. I just…. don't want to right now."

"Well, I hope that soon you do." Souke told her.

"I don't know." She said gently. "You have to understand…I never met anyone like him before…. he totally changed my world."

"I know."

"You don't know, Souke. No one can really totally understand what its like to lose your fiancé and to know he's not coming back ever."

"The accident was four years ago, Hope." Souke said. "He'd want you to get on with your life. Isao wouldn't want you to wait around and mourn him forever."

"Maybe my heart isn't ready to let go of Isao just yet." Hope said as she could feel a tear come out of her eye. "Its still so unfair."

Souke sighed as he looked at his sister. "C'mon." he said as he stood up. "Let's go ride on the go carts down at the track."

"Go carts, Souke?" She asked.

"Yeah it would be fun." He told with a smirk. "You need to have some fun."

"Okay." She said with a smirk.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Hope was tired as she was lying in her bed in her tank top and small boxer shorts. One arms was behind her head as she stared up at the ceiling fan.

The only sounds could be heard from the next room, Souke was on the phone. She could hear mumbling through the wall and occasionally the loud laugh he had.

Any minute she would yell at him to shut up and go to sleep. It wasn't too late. It was nine thirty but she had to be up a 0600 and Souke, the little shit, had class at ten am.

As usual though, Hope thought about the one thing she usually did before she went to sleep.

_Isao._

She breathed in as she shut her eyes.

Four years. It's been four years since that day, Isao. I can't let go of you. I never will. I still love you. I always will. Isao, I miss you so much. I miss your arms around me. I miss your dark eyes that just used to stare into mine and make me feel alive and your smile, your touch, your kiss…. Oh, Isao…. I love you so much.

She couldn't help to think about it. It was in her thoughts every night before bed.

Isao smiled at me. He kissed me and told me he loved me, said he'd be back soon…then from the ground below, I watched as his plane exploded…Isao, my love…I miss you so much. Faulty gas line in the plane…. faulty gas line my ass! He was murdered! How could they have…oh Isao! Isao, no!

She shut her eyes and a tear rolled out of them as it always did. At night, she let her pain come through. It had been that way for four years. During the day she was tough, unstoppable, confident and strong. At night, she melted down and let her emotions come through. She allowed her grief and pain to surface.

Six months of mandatory psychiatric evaluation after Isao's accident, by recommendation of her own mother, had yielded that she was going through a normal grieving period.

Still to this day, she missed him with all of her heart. It was one of the reasons why she never wanted to be with another man. Isao was her one and only. Her true love. The love she would never let go of.

She began to cry. It must have been loud enough because she heard a knock on the door.

"You okay, Sis?" The voice on the other side asked.

She wiped away her tears and said. "Yeah I'm fine! Do you mind turning off that damned stereo and going to sleep, Souke! I've got to be up at 0600!"

"In a bit." He told her. "I'm going to make some decaf tea. You want some?"

"No." She said.

"Okay, Sis. Good night."

"Good night, Souke." Hope said.

"Hey, Sis?" he said to her gently. "If you want to talk, I'm just a knock away, okay?"

Hope breathed in as she said. "Okay, Souke. Good night. Sorry I yelled at you."

"Hey, I'm your brother." He told her. "Yell away."

She chuckled and nodded. "Night, Souke."

"Night, Hope." He replied as she heard his footsteps from the other side of the door walk towards the kitchen.

She breathed in as the tears came out of her eyes and she pulled the comforter over her head. She breathed out one word before sleep took her into her dreams.

"Isao…."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sawyer Dell was annoyed. These meetings out of the blue were driving him crazy. All of these deadlines, all of these secrecies but that was just the CIA for you. He was dressed impeccably, a dark blue pinstriped suit with a blue tie. His brown hair neatly combed back and for his age, one of the youngest agents with this type of assignment.

Sawyer walked down the long corridor and slid his green key card through the slider. The door opened up and he walked inside.

"Mr. Dell."

It was a large oval table. Seated all around them were generals, men in suits, women with suits, and women with uniforms.

"Report, Mr. Dell?" A woman in a black uniform asked firmly. She had short red hair with touches of grey that was tied up neatly into a bun as she adjusted the glasses she wore and folded her hands onto the table.

"Its been confirmed. They are reconstructing them."

"Where was the location and why wasn't it destroyed?" The man in the green uniform asked.

"They've moved the location. Once they identified we were monitoring…. they completely moved. We don't know how they did it so quickly."

"Is it confirmed about who it is?" The woman asked again.

"General Ikari, it is. It's SEELE. They're going to try it again."

"Son of a bitch!" She growled as she slammed her fist down on the table and stood up from it.

"General Ikari, calm down!" The man in the gray suit told her.

"Don't you order me around!" She snapped. "I've had first hand experience with SEELE and they're relentless. This is no different from last time. They'll stop at nothing. We need to find where they are building them and destroy them immediately! My government will supply any help needed to destroy them once and for all!"

"We are trying to ascertain their location now." Dell answered. "It may take some time."

"Time is a luxury we can't afford." General Ikari said.

"General Ikari, we have no choice. We're doing everything that's possible!"

"Then do it quicker!" She snapped.

Dell breathed in as he said. "There is one thing we can keep on standby in case of an attack. General Ikari, we believe its time."

She breathed in as she heard him. "Not yet. She's not ready yet."

"General, you knew that this was her destiny all along. This is what she's meant to do."

"Damnit, she's still going through emotional upheaval! You can't put her in a position like this! She was passed over for promotion because of her issues with grief! You can't do this to her!"

"General, keep your personal feelings at bay!" Dell told her firmly. "Its time. You should realize this!"

"Never question my judgment!" She said firmly.

"General, its time to do what we must!"

"You tell me that when _you_ have a daughter and it's _her_ life that you're risking!"

"General Ikari, please…she's the only now. Your husband was the only other answer but since his health has deteriorated…it wouldn't be wise. She has the best harmonics test for this type of activity and there is no question that she would be accepted as its pilot. Your husband and your daughter have the exact same harmonic outputs. Its the only way."

"I would never allow that to happen." She breathed out as she heard the answer. "I know she's meant to do this but as her mother, I don't want to put her in a position that can cause damage to her!"

"I would never allow that to happen." Sawyer told her. "I feel through her personnel file I know her."

"Don't you go there with me." General Ikari said firmly.

"General, what I meant…is I will protect her. You have my word." Sawyer told her as he breathed in.

She sat down at the table and looked around the room. She then said. "Are you all in agreement with this?"

"Aye." The table answered in unison.

"Mr. Dell, make arrangements. Make sure you keep my name out of it. If Hope knows I'm behind it…"

"…General Ikari, I understand perfectly." Dell said and with that he saluted her, waited for the return salute and then turned to go out the door. "General, you have my word. I will protect her with my life."

"Another thing, Mr. Dell."

"Yes?" he asked as he stopped.

"Keep your hands off of my daughter."

Dell breathed in. "Of course, General."

Then he walked out of the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Captain Ikari, reporting as ordered, sir!"

"At ease, Captain." Colonel Fuyamoto told her as he sat at his desk., returning a salute she had given him.

"Yes, sir." She said as she looked straight ahead and put her hands behind her back.

"Captain, I regret that you were not given promotion to Major. It saddens me that the board did not think you were worthy of such a rank."

"Thank you, sir." Hope said plainly.

"Captain, this has been reversed."

"Sir?" Hope asked.

"You've been promoted." He said with a smile as he took from his desk a small box and handed it to her. "Go ahead, Major. You've earned these."

Hope stared at the small box and reached out for it, as she took it and held it in her hands she breathed in and smiled. As she opened the box, she stared at the two small gold leafs that shined as the light reflected on them. "Thank you, Colonel, sir." She said as she tried to hold back her joy and closed the box. "I am without words, sir. Why has the board reversed their decision, sir?"

"Captain, this is a provisional promotion." He told her.

"Provisional in what way, sir?" Hope asked. "Whatever is required of me, I will do it. I have a duty and responsibility. I live up to that duty and do what is needed to be done."

"I know that all too well of you." The Colonel said with a smile. "Captain, I will tell you this much. What you are about to be told cannot be repeated. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Hope said.

"An American agent named Sawyer Dell is in charge of a top secret United Nations project. . Should you accept this mission, you will be working with him on this top secret government project. You are not to reveal the nature of this project to anyone. This project is of the utmost importance and the American government feels that they need to oversee this endeavor on the part of the Japanese military. The UN has also felt that the nature of this project will be used to protect the world from eminent danger. Captain, there is great danger here and if you refuse this, you can walk away right now."

"If I do, sir, I lose my promotion to major, don't I?" Hope asked.

"Yes." The Colonel said. "You would not receive your promotion to major. You would have to wait until the next time the promotion boards reconvene and if you fail to obtain that promotion, you will be discharged from the military under Honorable Conditions."

"I understand, sir. I accept this mission." Hope said firmly.

"Captain Ikari, realize that this mission could potentially endanger your life."

"My life is worth risking for my country, sir." Hope told her superior officer. "I will do what my country asks of me."

"There is another condition, Captain Ikari." The Colonel said.

"What is that?" Hope asked.

"You will be transferred to NERV."

"NERV?" Hope asked. "NERV was dismantled thirty years ago. Sir, NERV no longer exists."

"Wrong." The Colonel said. "NERV apparently was reinstated about five years ago. NERV in accordance with the United Nations and NATO have been conducting surveillance operations once the CIA reported on the existence of an organization known as SEELE."

Hope's face dropped as she breathed in. She knew that word all too well. "SEELE?" Hope asked. "How could that be? SEELE was destroyed. They no longer exist."

"SEELE apparently has been covert in their operations. SEELE has been using underworld communications and technologies along with enlisting the aid of several terrorist organizations to do what they are planning."

"What is it that SEELE is planning, sir?" Hope asked.

"This is what has been classified from me." The Colonel said "Captain Ikari, when you report to your new base of operation tomorrow you will be briefed further on the responsibilities of your assignment.."

"I'm having second thoughts about this mission, sir." Hope told him.

"You can say no." The Colonel said. "I will think no less of you if you say no. No one will even know that this conversation ever happened. This is no dishonor in saying no to an operation of this magnitude or this danger, Captain."

"I understand, sir." Hope said as she took a deep breath. "I accept the mission regardless of the danger."

The Colonel smiled. "You are a good officer, Captain. I will miss having you on our squadron. You will do well at NERV, this I know."

"Thank you, Colonel." Hope said.

"You are dismissed, Captain. Report to duty tomorrow morning at eight am on the address inside of that box. Inform no one where you are going and what your mission entails. I have to warn you, if you divulge any information to anyone not associated with this project, you can be terminated on site."

"I will do my duty, sir." Hope said as she saluted her superior officer.

The Colonel stood and returned her salute. "I know you will, Captain."

She bought her hand down and then exited out of the Colonel's office, holding in her hand the rank that she had wanted for so very long and now, she was about to undertake a mission of enormous danger and responsibility.

Hope's life was good.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Classified?" Souke asked as he raised an eyebrow while they ate dinner at their apartment. "I'm your brother! Don't I get to know?"

"No." Hope said.

"I'll call Mom to find out." Souke said with a smirk.

"Mom wouldn't tell you anyway!" Hope said back with the same smirk.

"Dad would! Dad doesn't know how to keep a secret!" Souke said with another grin.

"Dad wouldn't know. Do you think Mom would tell Dad? C'mon, Souke. Mom knows her duty. Besides, she wouldn't want to worry Dad with the way he's been feeling lately."

"Just one hint!" Souke pressed.

"NO!" Hope boomed out. "That's it! No more! I do not want to hear about it again!"

"But…"

"Shut up!" Hope boomed.

Souke sighed. "Okay. Still, how is it you can be promoted to Major and not tell anyone why!"

"Okay, fine. Here it is, Souke. I've been promoted to Grand Paper Pusher. That's my new job. Exciting, isn't it?"

"NO FAIR!" Souke yelled out. "I saved your life once! Do you forget that?"

"I know that!" Hope said. "Still, you can't know. That's it! I am not discussing this any further!"

"Okay, I get it." Souke said as he ate.

Hope smirked at him and continued to eat as she asked. "So, what was the final grade on the exam?"

Clearing his throat and stammering, Souke answered. "Uh…. what exam?"

"Don't play stupid with me!" Hope said. "You had the huge exam last Friday. How did you do?"

"Uh…huh what?"

"Souke?" Hope asked. "What was your final grade?"

"Uh…c'mon, Hope, I don't want to talk about it."

"What was it, Souke?" Hope asked.

Under his breath he whispered something incoherent.

"Huh? Say that again, Souke?"

"A!" He screamed out happily.

"You little creep!" Hope said with a snicker. "Souke, I hate when you do that."

"Well, at least I didn't classify that information!" Souke said with a smirk.

It was then the phone rang and Souke got up from his chair with a mouthful of food. "Mawshi Mawshi!" he answered.

"Excuse me?" The voice on the other end said.

"Er, I meant Hello?" he asked as he swallowed down his food in one large gulp.

"Is the home of Major Hope Ikari?" the voice asked.

"Who wants to know?" Souke asked in a protective voice.

"Is Major Ikari, there currently?" the voice asked.

"Who are you?" Souke asked.

"My name is Sawyer Dell. Put her on the phone now, you twit!"

"TWIT?" Souke boomed out. "Listen, buddy I'll…."

"Who is that?" Hope asked.

"Do you know a guy named Sawyer Dell?" Souke asked her.

Immediately, Hope jumped up from her chair and wrenched the phone away from her brother. "Idiot!" She growled. "That's my superior officer! He's my boss you fool!"

"Oh." Souke said sheepishly as he put his hand behind his neck and blushed.

Hope cleared her throat and then said. "Major Ikari here. I apologize for my brother, sir."

"I should hope so." Dell said on the other end. "Major, get in your car and meet me at the address inside of the box the Colonel gave you in ten minutes."

"Ten minutes?" Hope asked.

"Yes, ten minutes." Dell said as he hung up the phone.

Quickly, Hope ran to the small shelf on the wall and opened the box, taking out the piece of paper from inside of it. She quickly stuffed into her pocket and then straightened herself up as she grabbed her car keys.

"Where are you going?" Souke asked.

"It's classified!" Hope told him. "Stay here."

"What the…" Then Hope ran out the door and left Souke with a raised eyebrow saying. "Huh?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sawyer Dell stood outside of an abandoned warehouse. He wore a long black trench coat and he checked his watch as he saw a small blue sports car pull up directly in front of him.

"Punctual." He said under his breath as the car door opened and the young woman got out of it.

"Major Ikari reporting as ordered, sir." She said with a salute as she came up to him.

Sawyer returned her salute and nodded. "You are exactly on time." He said to her.

"Thank you, sir."

"Please, call me Sawyer." He told her. "I don't stand on military formality."

"Pardon me for saying this, sir, I do." Hope said as she stared at him.

"Well then." He told her as he smirked. "You may address me as Commander Dell."

"Yes, sir, Commander."

"Come with me, Captain." He said as he walked towards the abandoned warehouse.

Hope felt uneasy as she walked towards the abandoned, tattered structure and looked around. It didn't seem like the type of neighbor a secret government installation would be found in. Yet, he didn't seem like the type of man who would be a secret agent.

Dell walked inside of the building, Hope followed. He walked into the center of the room and then said. "Pegasus."

Shortly after a small panel rose from the floor, he looked over at Hope and said. "Come over to me and stand within this circle."

As Hope looked at the floor, there was a large round, red circle painted on the floor and Sawyer stood in the center of it. She walked over to him and then stood beside him as he placed his palm on the front of the panel.

Suddenly a light swept across the room and a small beep sounded and the floor that they were standing on starting to travel downward.

"What the…"

"Its all right." Sawyer said to her as he looked at her with a smile. "You'll see shortly."

The small elevator traveled downward where Hope watched as the ceiling above her closed shut. It continued to travel down until it reached its destination, which was a long corridor.

Sawyer stepped off the panel and walked towards another door where he simply turned the handle and opened it.

Hope's eyes widened as she stepped through and stood before a gigantic room full of terminals and people running about. There was much chatter and noise and she saw three large screens each of them with times at the bottom in red digital numbers.

"Major Ikari," Sawyer said to her. ", Welcome to NERV."

Hope breathed in as she couldn't believe the size and the activity within this room. Sawyer walked down a staircase and past several people who all stepped aside the moment they saw him. Hope followed him as he walked up another staircase to a large desk and chair from where the entire room could be seen and on the desk where several embedded panels.

"This is unreal." Hope blurted out.

Sawyer nodded. "Five years ago this was erected. Its purpose was to keep an eye on those out there who would undermine us in our attempt to keep the peace."

"What do you mean? You mean like a terrorist threat?" Hope asked.

"Sort of." He told her. "Tell me, how much do you know of Third Impact? I mean…. what do you know of Third Impact?"

"Third Impact?" Hope asked. "There was an explosion caused by an immense AT field. It was a natural disaster."

"That was what the public was told." Sawyer told her.

"Do you know what your parents did when they were young?"

"My mother was a soldier and my father was a carpenter." Hope said.

"No." Dell said to her. "I mean, do you know what they did when they were teenagers?"

"Teenagers?" Hope asked.

"Yes."

"I suppose they went to school like everyone else." Hope said.

"No."

"No?" Hope asked.

"What I am about to tell you is classified information. Have you ever heard of the Evangel ion project?"

"No." Hope said.

"What if I was to tell you that thirty years ago there was a threat from an entity that we code named the Angels. There were eighteen of them in total. Each of these entities possessed a potential threat to the world. Only it was us who were the aggressors first. You see these angels were not aliens but they were humans who decided to cast off their original form to aspire to something more. Right before Second Impact, a scientist named Yui Ikari, your grandmother, developed a way to possibly defeat the angels and with your grandfather Gendo Ikari, the Evangelion was born."

"How do my parents fit into this?" Hope asked.

"The Evangelions had children as pilots. These children were taught to defend and to kill. These children were trained in a secret government base under the jurisdiction of the UN called NERV. Your father Shinji Ikari and your mother Asuka Langely Soryu were the pilots of Evangelion Unit 1 and 2."

"My parents were?" Hope asked. "I never…. knew that about them."

"When Third Impact occurred, there were no other humans left except for two. Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langely Soryu were the only survivors of the planet Earth for four years. For some reason we cannot explain, humans began to suddenly appear in several cities around the world. We reconstructed cities to handle the growing population and then your parents were found in the home that you grew up in. Your parents were bought back to this very same city and were asked once more to defend the world with the Evangelion. The Evangelion is a marvelous peace keeping tool but in the wrong hands, it could be catastrophic. An organization known as SEELE has been discovered. SEELE is what caused Third Impact, Hope. This SEELE is a group of new maniacs. Recent activity shows that their goal, all though outrageous and outlandish, is to purify humanity by creating a more perfect version of humanity and the way they will do this is by cleansing the Earth of humanity."

Hope breathed in as she heard Sawyer and then asked. "What is my duty, sir?"

"You were bought here for one very specific reason." Sawyer told her. "My government, the United States, has been monitoring the efforts of this group and in cooperation with the United Nations and the Japanese government, we decided to reactivate NERV." Sawyer looked out into the control room as he sat down on the edge of the desk and looked at Hope with a smile. "Thirty five years ago, Hope, NERV kept the peace. Gendo Ikari kept SEELE at bay. Now, SEELE has returned and there is only one person who will be able to stand up to them and defeat them."

"Who is that?" Hope asked.

"You." He told her.

"How?" Hope asked.

"Come with me and I will show you." Sawyer said as he got off from the desk and walked off to an elevator over to the side.

Hope followed and the two of them got inside of the elevator. Hope's mind was flooded with questions. She had never expected so much information would be revealed to her. She wondered _what was it I was sent to do?_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It was dark as she drove along the winding, curved road that lead back up to her house. She hadn't been home in nearly six days and she was happy that she would have this brief rest before duty would call her once more.

She missed him. She couldn't deny that. Even after nearly thirty years of marriage together, he made her heart beat a mile a minute and despite his graying hair or his annoying habits, she loved him with all that she was.

He was her reason for life. He was everything to her.

She hated what he was going through, what he had to face, but his strength was indomitable and his fire kept burning.

She took another turn as her Pathfinder cruised up the road to the small house in the valley. She pulled up in the driveway and turned off the ignition taking a deep breath.

As she got out of the car, she could smell the wonderful fragrances from the nearby garden and it soothed her as a smile crossed her lips. She opened up the back door of the car and pulled her luggage from it, extended the handle and walking up to the house, dragging the lugguge behind her..

The door was unlocked and she walked in.

She smiled as she could tell from the immediate smells in the kitchen that he had been busy preparing something delicious for dinner. She left her luggage by the door and walked into the kitchen, as she walked in she saw that the table had a fresh, white linen table cloth, the good china was out along with the beautiful crystal wine goblets. Long white candles were burning in the center of the table along with a beautiful red rose in a vase in the center.

Then as she turned she saw him, he was standing by the stove smiling at her. He was wearing a long sleeved white button down shirt and blue jeans.

"Welcome home." He said as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her, giving her the type of kiss that made her knees shake and her stomach turn into butterflies.

"Mmmm…." She whispered as their lips parted and her arms wrapped around him. "I've missed you."

"Me too." He said. "I'm glad your home now."

"I am too." She told him as she stared into his gentle blue eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't want to talk about that." He said to her. "Let's just enjoy being all alone tonight."

"Alone?" She asked. "Where's Reina?"

"She's at her friend's house. I sort of made arrangements." He told her with another smirk.

"Oh?" She asked with another smile. "Kicked out the kid, huh?"

"Just for tonight." He told her. "Tomorrow will be another day."

"That sounds good." She said to him.

"Why don't you change into something a little more…. relaxed?" he asked with a smile.

"How relaxed?" She asked.

"As relaxed as you like, we are alone y'know?"

"Pervert." She joked. "Still the same way you've always been."

"Would you expect me any other way?" He said to her with a chuckle as he undid the bun in her hair and watched as it flowed down making him smile.

"I guess not. I love you, you idiot." She told him as she kissed him again.

"I love you too, Asuka." He whispered to her as he held her.

"Why don't we eat later…. I have a hunger for something else right now and I'm not talking about food either." She joked as she took his hand into her own.

"Ah but Honey, I just went through all the trouble of making this dinner for you. We have all night. Trust me on this. Having a little patience would be good right now."

"I just hate being away from you." Asuka whispered to him gently. "I get worried, Shinji, I just don't want…"

"Shh…." He whispered to her. "Some things we can't prevent but we can use our time wisely and we can make the most of it."

"Shinji…." She said to him, as she couldn't help a tear from falling out of her eye. ", I just don't want to be gone when…"

"You won't be." He said to her. "That's a long way off, Asuka. We don't have to think about that right now. I'm here now and here is where I want to be."

"I'll go on family leave if you want me to." Asuka told him. "I just want to be with you."

Shinji smiled at her and cupped her cheek as he said. "You are. Every day. You're in my heart, Asuka. Asuka, don't stop doing your job because I'm sick. You're a part of me. I see you every time I look at Reina, or hear Souke or Hope on the phone. I'm with you everyday."

Asuka smiled at him and took a deep breath. "You amaze me." She whispered to him.

"Not as much as you amaze me." He told her gently. "How was the meeting?"

"A lot of bureaucratic crap." She said to him. "Shinji, I'm going to break the rules and tell you something I shouldn't."

"Okay." He said to her.

"Shinji, they've given Hope that assignment that we were concerned about."

Shinji's face dropped as he looked at her. "They put her into it?" he asked her.

"Not yet. She's going to be trained but after, yes, she's going to pilot it, Shinji."

"Do you think she's ready for that?" he asked his wife. "Do you think she can handle it?"

"She's strong and she's a good officer. I tried to make them see, Shinji. I tried to tell them she wasn't ready but the reality is, she's the only one that can."

"I can do it!" he told her as he held her onto her hand.

"No, Honey." Asuka said to him. "You can't anymore. You're too sick to do it."

"No I'm not." Shinji said to her. "I can't throw my child to the wolves like that! Cancer be damned! I am the original pilot! I can do it! Asuka, how could they…"

"Shinji, we have to believe in her. We have to give her the strength she needs to do it. Shinji, she is our child. She will be able to." Asuka told him gently. "You can't do it anymore, Shinji. You just…you just can't."

"Did you stop them from offering it to me?" he asked her. "Did you do what you promised you wouldn't?"

"No." Asuka said to him. "They did. They have your medical records, Shinji. You may not be active duty but when you signed up to be called again for the use of Eva, you knew that they would scrutinize everything! They saw it, Shinji! They know how advanced it is, they refused to even consider you as a pilot for it!"

"So you had no choice." Shinji said to her as he held her close to him. "I knew some day this would happen. I just didn't want it to happen ever."

"Shinji, there's more and you have to know this. I don't care if it goes against my duty. You are my husband and I share my life with you, all aspects of my life. Shinji, SEELE is active again."

Shinji breathed in as he heard her. "That was something I always feared. That means her life, Souke's life and Reina's life is in danger."

"No, Shinji, it's not." Asuka said to him. "I won't let that happen. I'd rather die then let anything happen to our children! I won't let them get hurt, I promise you."

"I just feel so…"

"Its okay." Asuka whispered. "You can count on me to take care of things. I will protect them all. I will keep them safe. I will do what you need me to do."

Shinji smiled at her as he said. "I know you will."

Gently, she hugged him as she whispered. "I love you so much. I promise you, I will make sure that they are all safe from danger. SEELE won't be able to get them. I promise you that. Hope especially has someone watching over her."

"Who?" Shinji asked.

"Sawyer." Asuka said. "Sawyer will protect her. I know this of him."

"Sawyer Dell?" Shinji asked. "Asuka, aren't you concerned about…."

"No." Asuka said. "Maybe, he is what she needs. I'm not worried. She had to know sometime. We couldn't not tell her. Shinji, I know how you feel about the past but the past was part of our lives, part of her heritage. Sawyer would more then likely tell her and having her involved in this project she would have no choice but to know the truth. I believe in Sawyer, Shinji. He'll do right by me. I believe in him."

"It surprises me to hear you say that." Shinji said. "I mean, you accepted Isao but Sawyer, an American? Asuka, you've changed…"

"Shinji, I just know one thing. Our daughter needs someone to watch out for her, Sawyer will do that and if necessary Sawyer will take a bullet for her too."

Shinji breathed in as he heard her. Placing his forehead against hers he whispered. "Asuka, I feel so powerless."

"You're not." Asuka whispered to him. "Shinji, don't you realize we gave our daughter what she needs? What we've always had throughout our lives to get us through was our strength. She has strength, Shinji. It is our strength that got her through Isao's death and it was our strength that will make her reach her goal. Shinji, she's ready for this. I believe in her. I have faith in her. She's ours. She's got the best of both of us. We poured all our love and all of our strength into her to make her what she is. She will do this, Shinji. I promise you. She's going to win."

Shinji Ikari held his wife close to him and breathed out as he said. "I know."

Asuka smiled at him as she looked into his soft eyes and whispered. "Do you believe in me, Shinji?"

"I always have." He answered.

"Then know, I'm not going to let anything happen to her. I swear to you on my life." Asuka said to him gently.

"I know." Shinji said to his wife as he kissed her lips gently and held her in his arms.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

Hope pounded the treadmill as a woman in a white lab coat with a clipboard and glasses kept watching on the clock behind her and wrote down notes. Hope was dressed in the standard military issue red gym attire, which basically was a red jersey with a zipper on it and matched red sweatpants.

Sweat poured down Hope's face as she continued to run feeling like she had ran a marathon so far.

"Okay, Major that's enough."

Hope decreased her speed on the treadmill until it came to a full stop. Taking the towel that hung over the grip frame, she patted her face down and stepped down.

"What? You don't want another hour out of me, Doctor?" Hope asked sarcastically.

"You're heart rate and pulse are right on target. You take good care of yourself, don't you?"

"I try." Hope said as she breathed out.

"No smoking, no drinking at all?"

"Nah, I don't drink hardly ever and as for smoking, I've never picked up a cigarette in my life."

"Good." The doctor said

"So, I take it I am physically fit then?" Hope asked.

"That's right. Now just one more test remains."

:"More tests?" Hope asked. "Since o eight hundred I've been going through test after test! I've been poked, prodded, stuck by needles! Why so many?"

"We just need to be sure of your physical condition." The doctor responded.

"You could have gotten that from my personnel file! I just had a physical last month!"

"Well, we like to review these tests personally. When you pilot the type of machine you will be trained on, you need to make sure you can handle it physically, mentally and emotionally."

"I see." Hope said.

"The next test will be a sync test. You'll need to conduct this naked."

"Naked?" Hope blurted. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, there is a reason. The environment must be pure. You're body will be submerged into a type of liquid that will allow you to connect to the unit. For this test we need you to be naked. Its necessary."

"And annoying. I hope that the cameras will be off."

"Only the infrared will remain on."

"Oh joy." Hope blurted.

"Proceed to room 16 down the hall, there you will conduct the test."

"I'm not going into the actual unit?"

"No, not until the simulators reveal the information that we require in order to take that next step."

"I see." Hope said as she walked out the door and then proceeded down the corridor

Everything was so confusing since yesterday. She couldn't believe when she had gone down to the large hanger with Sawyer yesterday what she had seen as she stood on the metal bridge with him.

"What is that?" Hope had asked as she recalled standing on the metal platform in front of a giant purple mecha that resembled a large humanoid robot with a head like a demon.

"That," Sawyer had told her. ", Is Evangelion Unit 1. That is what you are going to pilot."

"Its huge." Hope had told him. "I'm…. going to pilot that?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"You'll see." Sawyer told her. "For now, look at it. This was what made your mother and your father instruments of death and destruction. Second Impact caused so many people to lose sight of morality and justice. It was more or less a call of preservation. It didn't matter that children were used, it just mattered that it be done."

"I find that despicable." Hope said. "I couldn't imagine the horrors my parents must have endured."

"Your parents are remarkable people. Especially, your mother, Hope. I've had the opportunity to work with General Ikari several times. You are very much like your mother."

"Thank you." Hope said. "How is it you've worked with my mother?"

"You're mother as you know is assigned to the Joint Committee of Peace Keeping Affairs with the UN. The United States is greatly involving with this committee. In fact, I've found your mother to be very enlightening at times."

"My mother?" Asuka asked. "Most people are afraid of her." Hope said with a chuckle.

"I respect her." Sawyer said. "Not many would listen to a twenty five year old CIA operative who advised the reconstruction of NERV."

"Why?" Hope asked. "How is it you got involved with this? You have no family ties to this, or do you?"

"I always knew that there was more to Third Impact than just a natural disaster. You see, my country endured a lot during Third Impact and my country was one of the few governments that still was able to stand after Third Impact. I guess you could say, I've been obsessed with Third Impact since I was a child. I wanted to make sure that it could never happen again. I always knew that there was more to it."

"So, you were one of those types that wanted to be a big hero, huh?" Hope asked.

"No, not so much a hero. A protector. I wanted to keep the world safe. So I did my level best as a student, went to a great college, got selected for the CIA and requested this duty personally."

"I'm amazed that they let somebody so young take control of such an intricate operation." Hope said. "I'm also surprised that they let an American handle it."

"With the way the world is, age does not matter so much as wanting to make the world better does. Plus, I'm wise for my age, or so I've been told, I've believed since I've learned of what this device has done and what it is capable of, that it is my responsibility to make sure it never falls into the wrong hands."

"So you are the type who wants to be the big hero." Hope said with a smile. "That doesn't surprise me about you."

"Really?" he asked with a smile.

:"Yes, Mr. Dell, you cocky American gaijin are all the same. You all have delusions of grandeur with riding into the sunlight screaming Yee Haw with your flag proudly flying in the wind! It doesn't surprise me in the least."

"Oh." Dell said as he snickered. "Is that what you think of me?"

"As a matter of fact," Hope said slyly. ", Yes I do."

"So how is that bad?" Dell asked.

"Its not." Hope said. "Its just the way you Americans are."

Dell snickered slightly and said. "Not all Americans. My intentions are for the world and yes, I do consider myself to be a patriot. There's nothing with being one."

"I am patriotic as well." Hope told him. "Yet, the arrogance you display is quite vivid."

"You hardly know me, Major." Dell said with a smirk. "How is it you can pass judgment on me so quickly?"

"I know your type." Hope said flatly. "I'll do what is required of me, Commander. However, don't attempt to get into my psyche, I don't need a guardian."

"Guardian?"

"Its obvious that my mother has sent you to watch over me. My mother worries too much."

"You're mother is concerned for your safety. As for watching over you, yes, I was sent to do that."

"So you admit it?" Hope asked.

"I pull no punches, Major, and at the request of a senior officer that I respect and admire, yes, I will watch out for you."

"You are not required to watch over me, Mr. Dell." Hope growled.

"Too bad." He responded. "Tomorrow morning you will report back to this facility at zero eight hundred hours. I'll bring you top side."

"Thank you." Hope said.

"It was nice to meet you, Major. I am looking forward to working with you." Dell responded.

"Thank you, Commander. Am I dismissed?" Hope asked.

"Yes." He told her.

Hope breathed out as she recalled that first meeting with Sawyer Dell. In less then two hours time so much had been revealed to her but yet she couldn't help to feel that Sawyer seemed to be a little more then _interested _in her.

Walking towards room 16, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her and then she heard. "Good morning, Major."

Turning around, she stood at attention and saluted him. "Good morning, Commander, sir."

"You don't have to stand on so much formality, Major." Dell said to her as he walked up to her. He was dressed casually wearing khaki pants and a khaki shirt with his sleeves rolled up. His blue eyes seemed to dance at her and she ignored every thought that may have lead her to believe she thought he was an attractive man.

"I am military, sir. I am used to formality."

"NERV is a very laid back organization. We rarely use our ranks."

"I am Major Hope Ikari of the Japanese Air Force, you will call me by my rank, sir."

Dell nodded his head. "Okay, Major."

"If you would excuse me, sir. I have to report to room 16 for another test."

"I am well aware." Dell said. "It's the sync test. We need the results to monitor how your harmonic output matches up to Unit 1."

"Yes, sir, that is correct, sir so if you would excuse me, sir, I have to go." Hope said as she turned her back.

Sawyer Dell watched as she walked away and a smile crossed his face. _She's got a fire. _He thought to himself as he watched the auburn Major walk down the hall.

_That cocky American baka! _Hope thought to herself as she continued to walk down the hall. _Who does he think he is? He's my commander? They have to got to be joking!_

Hope walked into room 16 and shut the door behind her.

(Do you hate me for giving Shinji cancer? I can see the hate mail all ready. Stay tuned for Chapter 10 where Hope runs into a little dilemma and Sawyer must deal with the consequences of something both Hope & Souke have long since feared….)


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Souke Ikari stood on the sidewalk, looking around, smiling at those who passed by with his backpack over his shoulder. _Where is she?_ He looked at his watch and sighed. "Four twenty?" he asked himself aloud. "This isn't like her."

He rolled his eyes as he looked up at the sky and then smiled as he watched two pretty girls walk past him. It was then he saw Hope's blue sports car pull up and heard her horn honking.

"And you yell at me for being late?"

"Shut up and get in!" Hope growled as she removed her sunglasses. "I was detained."

"I'll bet." Souke said as he came over to the other side of the car and threw his backpack in the backseat while he got into the passenger side door and shut the door.

Hope looked at him and raised her eyebrow disapprovingly.

"What?" he asked as he shrugged his shoulder.

"Uh…seatbelts?" Hope nagged as she tugged on her own.

"Uh excuse me!" Souke growled as he reached for the seatbelt and pulled it across him. "Happy now? Let's go!"

"Who are you to lecture me on being late, Mr. Punctuality?" Hope asked with a sarcastic huff.

"For your information, I was outside at 1600 hours exactly, Major!"

"What?" Hope growled.

"You heard me!" Souke growled back. "I was outside at exactly four o'clock. You were the one late this time, Hope!"

"Souke!" Hope growled. "I am never late! Never! Can you please cut me some slack? I've just been assigned to a new posting! I am a major now! I have other responsibilities! You have some nerve, Souke Ikari!"

"Hope, hey, listen!" Souke said defensively. "I didn't mean to piss you off…. I was just joking with you, y'know?"

"Well, I didn't find it funny, Souke!" Hope growled.

"Touchy!" Souke teased as he scoffed.

"Excuse me? Souke, what's your deal today?"

"My deal?" Souke asked. "Hope, I was just kidding! You, as usual, are flying off the handle about nothing!"

"DON'T YOU TELL ME THAT I AM FLYING OFF THE HANDLE, SOUKE!" Hope boomed out loudly as people looked at the screaming woman in the blue sports car. "Okay." Hope said sheepishly as she began to blush. "Time to go."

"Yeah, I think so." Souke said as he pulled his small PDA from his pocket and checked his schedule.

Hope pulled the car into drive and began to move forward just as Souke said. "Geez, Hope, you sure know how to make a scene."

Then as she stomped on the brakes, Souke went forward and the seatbelt gripped him back, startling him. "Yo, Sis! Calm down!"

"Souke, I am five seconds away from telling you to grab a cab."

Souke swallowed as he said quickly. "I…I am sorry, Hope. I just was joking, y'know."

"For a law student, Souke, you could be a little more tactful."

"Oh that was a cheap shot." Souke said with a grin.

Hope grinned back and responded. "My car, my rules."

Souke snickered and went back to his PDA smirking at her. "Okay, Hope."

Hope continued to drive forward as she put her sunglasses on and drove back towards the apartment complex.

"Oh forgot to tell you. Mom called earlier."

"Oh?" Hope asked.

"Yeah, she's kind of miffed that you didn't call her about your recent promotion to Major, Hope."

"Mom all ready knows." Hope said with a smirk.

"Well she kind of hoped you would call her and tell her." Souke said.

"Okay." Hope groaned. "I will call Mom when I get home. Did she say how Daddy is?"

"Dad's okay." Souke said. "Hey you know I thought about after graduation, maybe I should move back home for a while, y'know? Maybe I should be around in case Dad needs me."

"You know what Dad said." Hope told her brother. "He doesn't want our lives to stop just because he's sick. Dad's gonna be okay. Dad is tough. Dad's been through a lot worse then this."

"What do you mean?" Souke asked.

"Nothing." Hope said. "I just mean…. that Dad has seen a lot worse…. you know…. Third Impact and what not?"

"Oh yeah." Souke said.

"Dad's a survivor." Hope said as she tried to hold back a tear. "He'll be all right."

"Yeah." Souke told her. "Still, you know I just feel like he might need me to be around a little more? You know Mom has her meetings and Dad's home all alone. It couldn't hurt, Hope."

"Souke, Dad will be happy when you get your degree and pass the Bar exam. You want to be a lawyer, Souke. Dad knows this. Dad told you to follow your dreams and live up to your goals and not worry about the cancer. We have to do what Dad wants."

"I know but sometimes what I want is just to help, Dad." Souke told her.

"Dad would want you to help yourself first, Souke. Remember that."

"Okay, Sis." He told her. "So, how is work so far?"

"Its…okay." Hope responded.

"Oh, I forgot _classified_." He chuckled.

"Its not a joke, Souke!" Hope growled. "I take this assignment very seriously."

"I know, Major. I know." Souke told her as he checked his PDA once more.

"You know, Souke, there is a whole other world outside of law school!" Hope growled.

"Hope, what is wrong with you today?" Souke asked. "You're grouchier then normal."

"I am not grouchy!" Hope growled.

"How do you like your new commander? What's his name? Sawyer Dell? God! Talk about how American you can get! Sawyer Dell. That sounds like the name of corporation."

"He's…. okay." Hope said as she flustered.

Souke though caught it immediately and he started to snicker when he heard her.

"What are you snickering about?" Hope asked.

"You like this guy." Souke said with another chuckle. "Oh my God! My sister actually likes a guy!"

"Souke!" Hope growled as she began to blush. "Stop it!"

"Oh yeah, you do. I can see it! You really do like him, don't you, Hope?"

"He's my superior officer, Souke! It wouldn't be wise!"

"Yeah but Hope, Isao was your squadron commander. What's so wrong about that?"

Narrowing her eyes, she gave Souke _the look of death,_ as he called it. "What did you just say?"

Souke gulped and then stammered as he said. "I'm…I'm….sorry, Hope. I didn't mean."

"I never expected you to say something like that!" Hope growled.

"Okay, Sis. Calm down." Souke said

But then Hope made a quick turn across the street as cars slammed on their brakes and honked at her.

"HOPE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Souke yelled out.

Pulling over to the side of the road, Hope put the car in park and then turned to her brother which a scowl that informed him of a beating that was about to occur. "Souke, I expected more from you." Hope told him calmly.

Souke gulped as he saw his older sister's scowl and knew the beating was only moments away. "Hope…. chill."

Hope though did not resort to her usual beating of Souke. Instead she breathed in and said with pain in her voice. "I can't believe you would ever insinuate that I would want to get involved with someone again. I was in love once, Souke and it was a love that was supposed to be forever. I don't want another man in my life, Souke. I had a man and he died! I don't want any other man! I can't do it, Souke. I just…. I can't. I have my career and with Dad being sick, that's enough for now."

Souke swallowed as he looked at her. He had expected her to whack him a few times and scream "Idiot!" at him like she normally did. However, he saw she wasn't going to do that. Instead, he saw something else on his sister's face and it hurt him when he saw it. He could see the grief in her eyes she still had from the loss of Isao.

Souke nodded his head at her and then undid his seatbelt as he came towards her and hugged her. "Hope, please forgive me for saying this but you are wasting time."

Hope breathed in as she clutched onto her brother and let a tear fall from her eye. "I have my life, Souke. It's enough."

"No, its not." Souke told her. "Its okay to like someone, Hope. It's okay to want to feel that way again. Hope, Isao wouldn't want you to shrug off men like this. Isao wouldn't want to become so cold and push people away. Hope, you can't do that anymore. You need to start…. letting people in."

Looking back to her brother's face she took another deep breath as she whispered. "I don't know how, Souke."

"Its easy." Souke told her. "You just be the person I know you are."

Hope smiled as she held onto her brother whispering. "You are my best friend, you know that, right?"

"I know." He told her. "You're my best friend too, Hope. I promise you that if you start letting people in you want to have keep pushing people away because soon, you'll feel a different kind of fulfillment."

"I don't know, Souke." Hope said to her brother.

"Yes, you do." Souke told her.

As Hope looked back into his face and wiped away her tear, she turned back to the steering wheel and started up the car again, driving back to the apartment. As she pulled up to the curb, she turned to Souke and said.

"I think I'm going to go for a ride for a while. Do you mind, Souke?"

"Not at all, Sis." He said to her as he undid his seatbelt and gave her a kiss on the cheek, while he reached for his backpack. "Just think about what I said, Hope. That's all."

"Okay." She said with a sad smile. "I will."

Souke got out of the car and then watched as his sister drove away. He knew where she was headed; it was where she usually went to put her into perspective. He sighed and then walked into the lobby of the apartment complex.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

In a barren desert base, on the outskirts of the Sahara Desert, or what remained of the Sahara Desert, twelve individuals gathered around a table and stared at the holographic three-dimensional computerized layout in front of them.

One of them, a large man breathed in as he said. "Our plans to exterminate the son of Ikari have been successful…. it's only a matter of time now."

"I still think a bullet would have been easier!" An Eastern European weapon said as she lit a cigarette and puffed. "Katsuragi was easy to kill. When she was removed from this tribunal, it was only a matter of time before Ikari followed."

"What of the General?" the large man asked again. "Is she to be next?"

"No, she's protected too much. She wouldn't be an easy target. Besides, her pull and rank distinguishes her as having the highest security rating. There are others that are easier."

"Who?"

"What we feared."

"You're talking of whom?" he asked.

"Their child. The oldest."

"Is it true that the American government is involved again?"

"Yes." A man with a thick New York accent said plainly. "However, this Sawyer Dell is nothing to be concerned over. He's just another gung-ho CIA operative who wants to play cowboy and save the day."

"What of Ikari's oldest child? If she is involved, how do we extinguish that one?"

"We don't. She'll do that all on her own. Our timetable is right on target. Humanity will be cleansed of impurity and no one will be able to thwart our plans this time around."

"I still am having misgivings about this plan." The large man said.

"You shouldn't let your fears undermine your objective, sir." The American said. "If SEELE is to prevail, then we must follow our objectives closely. Hope Ikari is nothing to be feared. Her psychological damage is apparent. She will not be able to sync with Unit 1 and when she feels she is at her last wit, that is when we will strike."

"What of the other children? The law student and the college student?"

"They are no threat. Too stupid to be EVA pilots and too naïve to know any better. We're better off leaving them be."

"Any Ikari that is left alive can be threat!" The Eastern European woman said. "We're better off having them all eradicated."

"Eradication is not always the answer." The American said. "Trust me. The naïve and the stupid are no threat to us in any shape or form. The only threat is Hope Ikari and she won't be a threat much longer."


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note:

I have to say thank you to so many people in particular who have been just amazing with the reviews and sending emails and such. First I have to start off with Nick2951. Nick, thank you so much for all the reviews and the great feedback. Something in the last email you sent me caught my eye when you asked about Souke's character. I definitely did not want to make Hope seem all like Asuka and Souke seem more like Shinji. Whenever you look at kids so many people can shape their personalities. I began to think what Hope and Souke's upbringing must have been like so I incorporated both traits of Shinji, Asuka, even Misato into the character development. Anybody who would have some impact on these kids growing up I tried to put into their character. One email I got was to say that Souke seemed more like Shinji, another suggested he be more like Asuka…. my answer was to incorporate both of their personalities in Souke. The following chapter was a suggestion from Nick2951 about Souke's character development. In this upcoming chapter; you will see what happens when Souke's emotions go haywire. We also will see Hope start to lean more towards her father's personality. Next I have to thank SteamedDumpling, InuyashaFan, bigdave, GreekGeek81, Nicholas Bledsoe, dennisud and so many others. I'd like to thank everyone for reading and reviewing _After Impact_. I am so glad you love the story and I hope you equally enjoy its sequel.

Also I have to give a big shout out to my studio J&P Productions. Rich and Logan, you guys are awesome! Jonny, you rock! Josh, you're awesome! Nausicaa, way to girl, girl! DarkStarDreamer you are amazing! Pac Attack, peace and love! You guys make the machine run smooth. You guys are the best.

Here is the update that you've waited for. Incidentally, check out my newest amv, which some have said looks like a prequel to _After Impact_, its called _Where Do We Go _featuring Shinji & Asuka from _Evangelion _and the song _Where Do We Go From Here_ by Filter, exclusively on my site The video can be found on the main home page and if you feel so inclined, leave a comment about it. Also don't forget to check out our other vids too including _Bleach: Anxiety and Fruits Basket: We Hate It When the Zodiac is Successful._

Now on with the story.

Warning: Tear Jerker ahead. Get your Kleenex and popcorn ready.

And Action!

Chapter 12

Hope pulled her car up into the empty parking space and sighed as she closed her eyes and gripped the steering wheel. She took another deep breath, exhaling slowly as she opened the car door and got out.

She walked up to the sidewalk and proceeded on an incline up towards a grassy hill. As she walked on the green grass with the sunlight shining down upon her, she breathed in the inviting smells of roses and daffodils blooming nearby.

She turned around a corner and then walked up a grassy knoll on a larger incline and then she stopped as she stared at the object directly in front of her.

She felt a tear roll out of her eye as she stood, still dressed in her black uniform, her insignia now showing the gold clover leaf of major on her collar.

Slowly, she kneeled down in front of the object, the tear now rolling down her face as she reached over and touched it. Her fingers delicately traced the name on the front of it.

_MAJOR ISAO KATSUMOTO _

_APRIL 14, 2021 – JUNE 27, 2051_

_Beloved son of Tentsu & Illai, _

_Brother of Rouji_

_The love of Hope. _

Then she stared at the bottom inscription, one she had asked and paid for to be on his gravestone.

On the wings of an angel your soul takes flight.

The wind blew over her gently as she removed her black officers cap and sat it down beside her, her short auburn hair shining in the sun. Her tears kept falling and her bottom lip shook as she left her hand on his gravestone, resting her palm where it was etched into the marble gravestone ISAO. .

_I miss you so much_, she said to him _within her mind. I can't believe in all of this time the pain of losing you has never gone away. You were the first man I ever loved. How cruel was it that, just before you were to be my husband, you would be taken from me. Isao, I can't move on. I have tried. I know I should. I just can't…. I love you too much to have you replaced. Isao, I wish you were here. My life is changing so quickly._

_She took another deep breath as she wiped her tears away and took her hand away from the grave. She folded her hands in her lap and bowed her head, trying to hide her apparent grief and feeling ashamed for crying in public._

_Isao, I wish I knew what to do. I don't know any more. I got promoted two weeks ago. I'm a Major now and I have an assignment that might be dangerous. I knew my responsibility would be huge but I wanted this, Isao. So many truths I've learned. I've learned the truth behind Third Impact and of course, it's classified. I've learned the truths about my parents. No, I'm not angry with them for not telling me all these years. Sawyer explained to me that, more then likely, it was because my parents never wanted me to see what they went through. I can only imagine the horrors that they've seen and the hardships that they have endured. It's funny though, out of the ashes of a broken world, I was born. Was that why I was named Hope? Was I supposed to be their hope for the future and the hope of the world? Is that my purpose, Isao? Is that why all of my life I've felt that my purpose is meant for something greater? I have no clue what it may be. Isao, help me. Help me to ease my pain. I need you, my love._

_Isao, I must tell you, that man, Sawyer Dell, I am attracted to him. I know you would want me to go on and live my life. I know you would want me to find another and be happy. Isao, I was happiest with you. You knew what I was about. You could see inside of my heart and know what I was feeling. No one can do that. No could ever do that except for my father. You and my father know me best._

_Isao, four years have passed and to this day I mourn you as much as the day you died. If Souke hadn't saved me from myself I more then likely would be with you right now. Sometimes I wish I were. To be with you in Heaven is better then be on Earth in misery._

_No one really knows how I feel. I can trick the psychiatrists into believing that I've recovered and that I'm fine. When they ask me about you, I say I miss you but that I know your gone and my life must go forward._

_In truth, I feel my heart breaking every day. Every night I miss your scent, your touch, and the sound of your voice. Isao, I had never made love to a man before I met you. You were my one and only. There hasn't been another since. I haven't even felt like…. I've wanted to be with anyone else. You were my only lover, the only one I would ever want to fill that void._

_Today, Souke said something to me. You know, Souke, he has a way with words! Sometimes the words that come out of his mouth are so outlandish and appalling that I just feel the urge to beat the crap out of him! I usually do. Yet, sometimes Souke makes sense. Souke is pushing me to let people into my heart. Why is it I can't do that?_

_Isao, I am worried. I am worried because I put up a wall to shut people out. I am feeling that it will interfere with my work. My new assignment, Isao, is piloting a device my parents used to. This device is an instrument of destruction and of death. Yet, it must be used to stop a greater threat. If I am not able to pilot this device, the cost to humanity may be immeasurable._

_In essence, Isao, I am the hope of the world right now. What a burden this is. Now I can understand my father's dilemma all those years ago. I can understand why he felt the way he did about the past. I never knew why my Dad avoided talking about his younger years but I always saw sadness in his eyes as he told me that it was a time of his life he'd rather not remember. He did say though that without the hardship that he had known he would have never have met my mother and he would not be the man he is today. I wish I could have just a tenth of his wisdom and strength!_

_Now my father is dying. Two years ago he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We have no idea how he could have gotten it. The prognosis was six months to a year and for two years he's proven those doctors wrong._

_I want to go to my father and ask him about the EVA. I want to know what the secret is for acceptance. I want to know how I can ease the pain in my heart. My father is the only one in the world, aside from you, who knows me inside and out. My father used to say all the time, hang onto me and Daddy will keep you safe. Now he can't. I wish he could!_

_Isao, I need clarity. I don't know where to find it. What should I do? Should I resign? Should I go back to the base and just be a captain and accept my fate that at the next review board I will be discharged from the military? Should I gather my courage and my strength and believe that I can pilot a device that I am unsure of? Isao, what do I do? Tell me. Show me the way. I need to know._

Hope raised her head and fixed her gaze upon the gravestone. Her eyes then focused further out to where the many other markers lined the cemetery. She saw a tree in the distance and imagined she could see Isao standing, smiling at her, wearing his black flight suit and letting her know that everything would be fine.

He wasn't there. She wished and prayed he could be but she knew he couldn't be there. He was gone. _Dead. Isao was dead._

She closed her eyes as in her mind, she remembered the horrible day…. the last day she ever heard from him.

"MAYDAY! MAYDAY! RED SUN 5 TO BASE, COPY!"

She was sitting in control, monitoring the flight paths of the jets flying that day. Isao was on a routine run with his squadron.

Hope's eyes widened as she heard his voice. Immediately, she pressed the relay and said. "RED SUN, THIS IS BASE, REPORT!"

"BASE, IT'S STICKING…. I'M LOSING VELOCITY! CONTROLS ARE NOT RESPONDING! I CAN'T HOLD HER!"

"Major Katsumoto!" The squadron commander said over the relay. "EJECT IMMEDIATELY! Abort and return! Abort and return!"

"Negative. Emergency ejection is offline, copy!"

"Major, try to hold it for emergency landing!"

"Negative. I have no control."

"Eject, Major!" Hope yelled out over the relay as her voice started to shake. "Eject yourself!"

"Negative. I can't."

"Isao…" her voice trailed off as she heard him.

"Captain Ikari, vacate the room immediately!" The squadron commander told her.

"Sir…" Hope said with pleading eyes as she looked up at him.

"That is an order! Now, Captain!"

"Yes, sir." Hope said in a barely audible tone as she stood up from her console and was quickly replaced by another officer.

The squadron commander stood in front of the screen, he his shouted orders "GIVE ME A VISUAL NOW!"

People hurried about the room as klaxons sounded. "WARNING, CODE RED! CODE RED!"

The screen then flashed, in the corner in red letters it read RED SUN-5 showing Isao's jet in a death-spin hurling towards the ground.

"MAJOR KATSUMOTO! TRY THE EJECT!"

"NEGATIVE NO RESPONSE."

"Godspeed, Isao." The commander said flatly.

Hope turned just as she was about to leave and heard the last words ever from him.

"I love you, Hope."

Then she had watched on the screen as his plane crashed into the ground below, exploding on contact. Bursts of orange flames were on the screen as she watched in horror.

'EMERGENCY CREWS TO CRASH SITE NOW!" The commander yelled out.

Hope didn't hear anything or see anyone come towards her. Her eyes went wide and her body was trembling.

She didn't feel her fellow officers hold her by both arms to take her out of the room. She didn't hear them call to her to come with them.

She only felt like her heart had stopped. In that one moment, everything seemed to be frozen in time as her screams filled the room.

"**ISAO!**" She cried out. "**ISAO!**'

Then she remembered nothing more after that, everything went black.

At Isao's grave, as she shut her eyes, remembering the horrible accident that took Isao's life her mind flooded back to the aftermath of that. She didn't remember very much during that time. She remembered only a few things.

_The aftermath…_

"Where is my daughter you idiot?" A middle-aged woman wearing a black uniform shouted in front of a hospital room. "WHERE IS SHE?"

"Asuka, calm down!"

"Don't' patronize me, Shinji! Where is Hope? Where is she?"

"Asuka, Isao was killed."

"Oh my God, Shinji!" Asuka said with wide eyes. "How? What happened?"

"Plane crash." Shinji said in a low voice. "Hope collapsed. She saw it, Asuka. She collapsed and they took her to the hospital. Physically, she's fine. Emotionally though, I think she's a wreck. She's in with the doctor right now. Honey, Hope is not doing too well since she learned about Isao."

"What do you mean, Idiot? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

"Asuka, calm down, Honey." He said to her reassuringly.

"Shinji, what's wrong with her?"

"She's in a catatonic state. She won't answer to anyone. Not me. Not Souke. Not Reina. No one. Asuka, the shock of seeing Isao's plane explode may have been too much for her…she's been like this since I got here."

"NO!" Asuka yelled out as she tore into the hospital room and pushed the doctor to the side. "Hope!" Standing over her daughter's bed, Asuka's eyes were wide as she was looking at Hope who stared blankly at the ceiling.

Hope's face was pale, her hair was matted as she lay in the bed. She was wearing a white hospital gown and there was no emotion on her face at all. Her eyes looked like they had been glazed over. Tubes ran out of her. One long tube connected her to an IV that dripped beside her. On her body were telemetry monitors checking on her heart rate and respiration.

In Hope's mind were jumbles of thoughts.

_Plane burned_.

_Unfamiliar ceiling._

_I mustn't run away. _

_Isao's dead. _

_I want to die. _

"Hope…" Asuka said in a tearful voice as her hand covered her mouth. "…. Baby? It's Mama."

_Mama._

Hope did not respond. She didn't look her mother in the eye. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead.

Asuka stroked the hair from her eyes and lightly placed her palm on her daughter's cheek. "Oh my God." Asuka whispered as she tried to hold her tears back. "Oh God! Oh, Shinji! Oh, God!"

Immediately, she turned to her husband and he held her close to him as she grabbed onto his shirt. Her tears fell onto him and she buried her face into his chest so nobody would see.

"I'm here, Asuka." Shinji whispered to her as he held his wife.

"NO!" Asuka yelled out angrily through clenched teeth as she banged her fists on her husband's chest screaming out each time she banged her fists on his chest. "NO! NO! NO!"

"Stop, Asuka." Shinji told her gently as he held her tighter letting a tear escape from his eye. "Stop it! Stop, Asuka! Asuka, we have to help her."

"Shinji…" Asuka's voice trailed off as she grabbed onto her husband's shirt. "My baby, Shinji…my poor little girl…what she saw…oh my God, Shinji."

"Honey," Shinji said gently. ", Hope needs us now. We have to remind her. We have to give her the message she needs."

Asuka shut her eyes and nodded her head. "I know, Shinji."

"We have to help her." Shinji told his wife.

"I know, Shinji." Asuka said as she looked into her husband's face with a tear coming out of her eye.

"She'll be okay. We just need to remind her of who she is." Shinji told Asuka as he gently wiped her tears away..

"Okay, Shinji." Asuka said as they both turned to Hope and stood over her bedside.

Shinji had his arm around Asuka. Asuka took a deep breath and said to her.

"Hope, listen to me?" Asuka asked gently as her voice cracked. "My little girl, I know you hurt badly. I know you've sustained a terrible loss but Hope; you have to remember who you are and what you've learned. You've got a destiny to fulfill."

_Mama. No more. No more life. I want to die._

"You have to come back with all of your strength." Asuka said as her voice strained with sobs. :"Your strength can never leave you. Love is strength, Hope. We are the source of your strength. Use our strength to come back. Follow my voice, baby. Follow my voice and come back to me. With all of your strength, fight back."

_No. I can't fight back, Mom. I don't want to. I want to be with Isao._

Hope did not move. Her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.

Asuka though would not give up. Shinji stayed beside her. He held onto his wife as she spoke to their heartbroken, catatonic daughter.

"Hope," Asuka said as she pulled up a chair and sat by her daughter's bedside, taking her hand into her own. ", Come back, Hope. Please, baby. Don't give up. You can't. You're too important to us. You're too important to everyone. Baby, we need you. We need you in our lives. We both love you so much, Hope. Please come back, Hope. Come back. Please, Baby."

Shinji breathed in as Asuka tried for hours, and then days to get through to her daughter. He also tried to speak to her and hope that somehow an emotional response would come through.

"Hope, Honey," Shinji said to her as he sat by her beside in a chair and looked upon her with tears in his eyes. "Its Daddy. Honey, I know you're heart is hurting. I know how much pain you're in. Baby, you have to come back. Mommy and me love you so much. Souke loves you. Reina loves you. Everyone misses you and wants you to get better. Hope, Isao's funeral is soon. You have to get better.":

_No, Daddy. I can't see him go into the ground. No. I want to be with him, Daddy. Let me go_.

"Baby, you're our hope of the world, do you know that?" Shinji asked gently. "I've loved you since the first day I held you in my arms. You're my princess and you can't give up. Honey, find your strength. Find it and use it to its fullest advantage. Believe in yourself."

_Daddy. Daddy, my Isao is gone…Isao…gone…I want to die._

It was three weeks later and nothing happened. Doctors were worried about Hope's physical state, as it seemed to get worse and not better.

Though her friends and family constantly tried to reassure her, her brother did not feel the same way.

_It's not my fault, Souke. Don't be mad._

"BULLSHIT, DAD!" Souke yelled out in hall outside of her hospital room. He was furious as he was nose to nose with his father, yelling in his face. "THAT'S FUCKING BULLSHIT!"

"S…Souke, you step back right now!" Shinji said in a low warning tone.

"I am not afraid of you, Dad!" Souke growled. "I think you're an idiot for this theory that you have! Hope will come back as long as we tell her we love her? Dad, Hope wants to die! Face it! She watched Isao die! That won't bring her back, Dad!"

"Son, we have to try…. we have to keep trying."

"FUCK THAT, DAD!" Souke yelled. "She's a fucking coward! How can she well herself up like that? How can she do this to us? What? She loses Isao, so we have to lose her too? Fuck that, Dad! NO FUCKING WAY WILL I GO IN THERE AND TELL I LOVE HER AND MISS HER AND THAT SHE NEEDS TO FIND HER STRENGTH! It's gotten you nowhere! I need to tell her she's a coward, a wimp, spineless and she's causing her family to hurt! If I get her blood boiling, she'll want to fight, Dad! You have to get her to fight! Make her fight! You are an idiot, Dad! Let me do it!"

_Don't hate me, Souke_.

"Souke…." Shinji warned.

"Fuck you!" Souke growled.

Souke! Please…. no. Don't be mean to Daddy. He is trying to help. I don't want help. I want to die.

Just as Souke uttered the comment, Asuka came out of the elevator and saw her son and his father nose-to-nose, glaring at one another. Both men were furious, both men had their hands balled into fists.

Asuka sprang into action, running down the hall as she heard Souke yell out.

"FUCK YOU, SHINJI! I'M OUTTA HERE!"

"Souke!" Shinji said firmly as Souke walked away from him.

"SOUKE IKARI!" Asuka snapped.

Souke stopped dead in his tracks as he saw his mother and gulped.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Asuka said in a fury. "DON'T YOU SPEAK TO YOUR FATHER THAT WAY!"

"Back off, Ma!" Souke told his mother forcefully as he straightened up and stared her down.

Asuka took a breath and walked towards him, standing right in front of her grown son. She spoke calmly to her son, as she placed her hands on his arms. "Souke, listen to me. We are all under stress, Souke. We are all worried about, Hope. Now, is a time when we need to pull together and not tear each other apart. You apologize right now!"

"NO!" Souke boomed out as he shrugged his mother off. He tried to go forward but Asuka blocked his path.

"Souke Ikari, you calm down!" Asuka warned.

Frustrated, he growled, "Get out of my way, Ma!"

Asuka stood and looked up at her son, all six feet of him, and breathed out, staring him directly in the eye.

"No! Souke, you are a little brat!" Asuka growled. "You are out of line!"

"I was not! It's how I feel! This whole situation is bullshit, Mom!" Souke yelled out. "All of it is stupid and ridiculous!"

"Don't you swear at me, mister!" Asuka told him firmly.

"Mom, I'm twenty-one! I'm a grown man and I don't take orders from anyone! I don't' have to listen to you or Dad any longer! I graduated college all ready! I don't need to suck up for anymore school funds!"

_Souke, you better watch it._

Asuka raised her eyebrow. She took a step forward as Shinji took a step back. Souke did not move.

:"What are you gonna do?" Souke asked as he crossed his arms and stared his mother down. "Huh, Ma?" he asked sarcastically as he bent his knees bringing him down to Asuka's eye level. "What are you gonna do to me, huh, **_General Asuka_**?"

Shinji sighed as he put his hand behind his neck. He felt like yelling at Souke right now himself but what Asuka had planned seemed to be better.

Asuka breathed out.

She was quick.

Souke didn't know what hit him as his head and body spun around. He staggered back, holding his hand over his reddened cheek looking at his mother with shock.

"MA!" Souke called out. "You…. slapped me!"

Asuka walked over to him, her hands balled in fists and screamed out. "IDIOT!" Then she regained her posture and pointed her finger at her son, saying. "DON'T YOU EVER, **EVER** CURSE AT YOUR FATHER LIKE THAT AGAIN! I DON'T CARE IF YOU ARE 21 OR 25 OR 40 OR 60! NEVER, EVER CURSE YOUR FATHER LIKE THAT AGAIN. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, SOUKE IKARI?"

"Yes, Ma." Souke said as he sniffled, holding his reddened cheek.

"I'll give you a right hook if you disrespect me or your father like that again!" Asuka told him firmly as she stared him in the eye.

Souke straightened up, shaking his head. He sighed as he looked over at Shinji. "Dad?"

Shinji looked back at his son and breathed in, still angry at the way he had been.

"Dad, I'm…. I'm sorry I disrespected you. Please forgive me, Dad. I'm so sorry." Souke said as he bowed his head and began to cry.

Asuka looked over at Shinji and the two of them walked over to him, both of them hugging their son.

"Its okay, Souke." Shinji told him. "I know you're angry."

"Ma," Souke said as he looked at her. "Mother, I'm so sorry…. I am so…. very sorry…I didn't mean…"

"Its all right." Asuka said gently.

"Mom, I only thought that if I…. if…I…. told Hope…. something different…get her to fight…. she'd come back!"

"Souke," Asuka said as she sighed. ", Hope is very ill. Anything traumatic could push her over the edge. Souke, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Mom, please…let me try?" Souke asked in a barely audible tone, with his soft blue eyes looking into her own. "Please, Ma?"

Asuka breathed out as she looked at her son. "Souke…. you…shouldn't be harsh with her."

Souke breathed out in frustration and then turned his gaze to his father. . "Dad…I know what you said earlier…. but please, Dad…. Please…can I…can I try?" Souke's blue eyes stared at Shinji as tears fell from them, his face pleaded for help and Shinji took a deep breath as he looked back at Asuka then darted his eyes to his son and nodded his head.

"Shinji, what?"

"Let him try, Asuka." Shinji said as he hugged his wife. "Let him."

Asuka worried as she looked up at her husband. She turned her attention back to her son, a grown man, crying in front of her, wanting to help his sister and hurting because he was afraid he was going to lose his best friend.

"Please, Ma?" Souke asked again.

"All right." Asuka whispered as Shinji held onto her.

Souke wiped his tears away and cleared his throat as he walked into the hospital room. He made his way to his sister's hospital bed.

_Souke, I want to die. Don't use your mind games on me. It won't work_.

He took a deep breath as he approached Hope's bed and stood by her bedside. He looked up at the ceiling and then cast his eyes down upon her, looking disgusted.

"I know you can hear me." Souke told her. "I don't give a fuck that you can. If you heard me talking to Mom and Dad outside, it's the truth. I want you to come back. You're my best friend, Hope. I can't lose you. You lost Isao, okay? I lost Isao too. Isao became my friend, Hope. I lost him too. You missed the funeral, Hope. He was buried in military fashion. Twenty one-gun salutes, missing man formation flying overheard, the flag was given to his mother. I watched them lower the coffin into the ground. I would have stood beside you, Hope, and held your hand and let you cry on me. You should have been there! His mother delayed as long as she could to wait for you! She couldn't wait anymore. Everyone wondered where you were and I told them the truth, Hope. I said you had a mental breakdown. I said that the shock of seeing him die in front of you caused you to fall into catatonia. No, Hope, I didn't sugarcoat it. It's because I hate you for what you are doing to all of us."

_Souke, no, please…._

"Hope, I know what you're thinking. You think it's so easy to quit right now! You want to give up and fall but what would that do, Hope? You know what it would do?" he asked as he bit his bottom lip and stopped himself from bawling. He cleared his throat and then began to speak harshly. "…. It wouldn't do anything! You'd die. We'd miss you for a time and then our lives would go on. You'd miss it all, Hope. You're life would be meaningless. You would have died a coward."

_Coward? No, Souke, don't! Please, I just…I can't find the will. Souke, no_.

"Hope!" Souke said to her firmly as he looked down at her. "Wake up, Hope! Enough of this! Do you think Isao wants this for you? I know you miss him. I know you want to be with him! Damnit, Hope, you can't leave us though! We need you! I need you! I'm your brother damnit. I'm your younger brother and best friend! I'm telling you, Hope, that you have more in your life to accomplish! Get your ass out of bed and fight back!"

_I can't fight back, Souke. I have no strength. I just…. let me go, Souke. I'm sorry._

Souke looked and saw a small tear come out of her eye.

He was happy.

He had gotten her to react to him.

It was just a tear but it was a response.

She had heard him.

Souke breathed in and wanted to jump for joy but he continued on, knowing he only had a foot in the door.

"What's the matter, Hope? Feeling sorry for yourself again?" Souke scoffed and then shook his head. "You fucking wimp! Coward! You're hiding within yourself! You're hiding so you can't face life! Are you going to quit, Hope? ARE YOU?"

From the outside, Asuka almost ran to Hope as she heard Souke yell. Shinji held her back, holding her against him.

"Don't tell me you're going to quit now, Hope!" Souke said firmly. "You? You are the biggest fighter I know! For years, Hope, you've always beaten me up when I deserved it. Remember, when I spied on you while you had your first kiss underneath the tree with that baka fuckhead skinny toned freak you met in junior high? What did you do? You saw me and gave me a spanking, didn't you? What about when I accidentally walked in on you and Isao doing the deed back at the apartment, huh? What did you do, Hope? You chased my ass down and knocked me in the head about six times! Where is Captain Ikari? Where is the woman who still holds the record for the decathlon at the academy? Where is the woman who got into a jet and flew at Mach 5 as fast as the wind could carry her? Where is my sister?" he asked as he looked down.

_Souke, stop it!_

"You know what I think?" Souke asked. "I think she died. You're just a shell or are you?" Quickly, Souke dashed to her bedside and leaned down so that he was right beside her. He said in a low, threatening growl. "Fight back now! Are you a fucking coward, Captain Ikari? Maybe you are! Anyone who hides within him or herself to stop from facing life is a fucking coward!"

He straightened up and scoffed again as he said cruelly. "Go ahead and die, Hope! Why don't you go ahead and do that! Just end the torment for the rest of us! I will not mourn you when you die! I'll think you just killed yourself for your own self-pity and that makes me sick. Go to hell, Hope. You're a fucking liar and a coward! I don't respect you at all or feel sorry for you! I'd spit on you but I don't want to waste the energy!"

Angrily, he turned away from her and closed his eyes, his hands turned into fists. "I'm sorry." He whispered aloud under his breath. He took a deep breath, opening his eyes as he took a step forward.

_"Souke…"_

Souke stopped dead in his tracks, as he heard the words, they were barely coherent and sounded like a small hush but the words were clear. He suddenly breathed in with a feeling of elation as he turned.

"Hope?" he asked.

He saw her eyes dart towards him.

His eyes widened.

"HOPE!" He called out loudly as he rushed to her bedside and stared at her with a smile and tears in his eyes. "Hope! It's me! Its your brother!"

Shinji and Asuka bolted into the hospital room. Both of them looked on happily. They embraced and held onto one another, crying and laughing at the same time as tears of joy ran down their faces.

"Don't you ever call ME a coward!" Hope yelled at Souke as she grabbed his wrist and looked into his face.

"HOPE!" Souke called out happily as he hugged her. "HOPE! OH MY GOD! You're back! You're back!"

"I'm gonna beat your ass for what you said, Souke!" She yelled out.

"I don't care." Souke said happily with tears of joy in his eyes. "You're back. You're back, Hope! Hope, I'm so sorry I said what I said to you…but I had to get you to come back! I had to get you to fight me! Oh God, Hope! I love you so much!"

Hope looked back into her brother's face seeing the tears stream out of his eyes. She darted her eyes to her parents holding one another, crying onto one another, smiling at her with tear stained faces but happiness in seeing she was okay..

She looked back to her brother and whispered. "Souke…_Isao."_

"I know." Souke told her.

"Isao's gone." She said to him in a painful voice as tears fell from her eyes.

"Yes, Hope." Souke whispered to her.

Hope stared into her brother's face as she sat up. She placed her palm, lightly on his cheek. Her bottom lip shook and then she started bawling uncontrollably as Souke wrapped his arms around her and she in turn held onto him.

"ISAO!" She yelled out as loud as she could. "NO! NO! NOT ISAO! NOT ISAO!" Her cries flooded the room.

"It's okay, Sis. I'm here." Souke whispered to her. "I'm gonna help you, Hope. Let us help you, okay?"

"Oh God, Souke!" Hope cried out. "Isao…my Isao is gone! SOUKE, MY FIANCE IS DEAD!"

"It's okay, Hope." He told her. "We'll get through this. I'm your best friend and I'm your brother. I'll always be here for you."

"Souke…"

Hope looked to her parents as she opened her eyes and whispered. "Mama. Daddy."

They both came over to her and comforted her. She continued to cry for hours. She needed to.

"You saved my life, Souke." Hope whispered to him.

"I know." He said to her. "What has Mom and Dad always told us, Hope? Love is our strength. Let me be your strength, Hope. Let us all be your strength now."

Hope nodded as she continued to cry.

_I came back…_

Hope looked at her watch. It was 7:30 and the dusk was starting to settle in. She wasn't afraid of being alone at the cemetery at night. She had her martial arts training and could easily overwhelm an assailant. She took another breath as she stared at Isao's tombstone. The memories were inside of her. No matter what she did, she would never forget them.

When she came here, it was all she could think of.

"I'm going to try, Isao." Hope said. "I'll love you forever but I promise you, just like as I always do each and every time I come here, that I will try to move on and make my life whole. Isao. I'll come back to see you next week. Thank you for loving me as much as you did. I promise, my love. I will…try."

With that, she stood up and began to walk back to her car. She took another deep breath and looked ahead to the crimson sunset.

"Tomorrow, I will give it my all." She said as her fists tightened at her side. "I promise you, Isao. I will."

_( Author's Note: No, its not over by a long shot but stay tuned for the next chapters because I am going to raise the stakes and you don't want to miss a beat. Until then J.Alana says see ya on the next fic/or vid whichever comes first_. ;)


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter 13_

The following day, Hope went to NERV Headquarters at 0800. Her brother Souke went to class at 1:30pm.

Hope from the time she arrived until the time she left was in a briefing listening to several scientists explain to her in detail about the operation of the Evangelion Unit.

The latest lecturer whom her, Sawyer and several other NERV personnel listened to, was one of the few survivors of the original NERV crew.

Sawyer paid close attention as he listened to her lecture.

Hope tried not to fall asleep.

"So, here is the schematic of the EVA itself. When the pilot is in the bioplug, the LCL fluid joins the pilot and EVA in the same psyche. In essence, what you feel your EVA feels. What your EVA feels, you feel. Your emotions, thoughts and every inclination become your EVA's. In sum of this, you are the EVA."

"Dr. Ibuki?" Hope asked. "I have read that the original pilots were fourteen years of age. How can the EVA accept the will of an adult?"

"It was thought," Dr. Ibuki stated. ", that because we used children that the EVA's would not reject the pilots. Both of your parents, Major Ikari, were able to successfully pilot the EVA's when they were adults. Further study revealed that the EVA's matched to the harmonic output of a pilot. The EVA's also responded to how the sync ratio could be stabilized. In essence, it wasn't because they were fourteen but because of who they were."

"You said earlier that the EVA needs to feel accepted by the pilot. Does the pilot need to be accepted by the EVA as well?"

"The EVA does have that ability which explains the rejection factor."

"Dr. Ibuki," Hope began. ", What would happen during the rejection factor?"

"Several different things. In this footage that I am about to show you, you'll see Unit 01 stop Unit 04 after it rejected its pilot." Dr. Ibuki sat down.

Hope focused her eyes on the screen and watched and heard the footage with the words across the top of the screen. "CLASSIFIED INTELLIGENCE – PROPERTY OF UNITED NATIONS. TOP LEVEL ACCESS ONLY. CLASSIFIED. ."

On the bottom it read

"Subjects: Ikari, Shinji. Suzihara, Touji. Soryu Langely, Asuka. Ayanami, Rei

Commander: Ikari, Gendo.

Supervising Officer: Mjr. Katsuragi, Misato.

NERV DATA FOOTAGE. DATE: 16, NOVEMBER 2015"

On the screen was a black and white EVA model, holding its head in its hands as a large red EVA model ran over to stop it. It was cut short as the red model was thrown across the landscape.

"Schiest!"

Hope chuckled as she recognized the voice immediately. She heard that word all too many times growing up and the source of it was unmistakable.

"Mom." Hope said with another chuckle.

":Baka Shinji! Where are you?"

"Asuka, disengage." Was the voice of the control room.

Hope watched as Unit 01, the Unit that was to be hers, came crashing through, struggling with the black and white EVA model. She saw the black and white model grab the purple model around its throat and then listened to choking noises.

"Shinji, destroy the EVA." It was the voice of Gendo Ikari.

Hope breathed in as she heard her grandfather's voice, a man she only knew for a short time in her life but a man who never sounded as cold or as vicious as he did at that moment.

"NO!"

"My father?" Hope whispered as Sawyer glanced over at her and then watched the screen.

It was her father.

Before he became her father, when he was just a boy, Shinji Ikari was part of the most covert and elite mission of human history.

He was an EVA pilot.

He was the best there was.

Hope listened intently as his adolescent voice screamed for help. She heard him grasping for air, he sounded scared and in pain. Yet, still in his voice she could recognize the bravery in him that she knew and the courage that she saw so many times over.

"There's a person…. in there!" Shinji yelled out over the COM.

"SHINJI, YOU HAVE TO DESTROY THE EVA UNIT OR IT'S GOING TO KILL US ALL."

"No!" Shinji yelled back over the comm. "There's… still a human being inside. I won't do it."

"I've had enough of this." Gendo Ikari said in frustration. "Initiate the dummy plug in Unit 1."

"Sir, it hasn't been fully tested yet!"

"Its better then the current pilot!" Gendo yelled.

Hope then heard her father, breathe out and yell out. "FATHER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING! GODDAMNIT, FATHER, NO!"

Hope watched in horror as Unit 01 suddenly attacked back, grabbing Unit 04 by the arms and ripping them off. It used every bit of strength and through it all, she heard her father yelling.

"STOP! NO! STOP!"

She watched as Unit 01 reached for the bioplug, knowing that there was a human inside of it, and crushed it in its gigantic hand, then through it on the ground, rendering Unit 04 helpless.

Then she heard.

"NO!"

It was her father.

Crews had just opened the bioplug to reveal Touji Suzihara, badly wounded, and destroyed by Unit 01 but not by Shinji Ikari.

The screen went blank.

Hope had a tear rolling down her face as the light came back on and quickly, wiped it away.

"As you have just seen," Maya Ibuki said. ", Unit 04 went into rejection mode. Unit 02 was unable to secure the pilot. Unit 01 was successfully able to retrieve the pilot and shut down Unit 04 before it went into Berserk mode."

Hope breathed in, as she looked down.

"Question, Major?"

Hope raised her head and taking a quick look at Sawyer said. "That's not what happened! My father was forced to watch as a dummy plug overtook his EVA and nearly killed that pilot! The dummy plug is what wounded Unit 04's pilot NOT MY FATHER!"

Maya suddenly breathed in as she realized that Shinji's daughter would indeed have been disturbed by this particular piece of footage recovered from the databanks of the Magi. She looked to the young woman's face now tensed with anger. She could see that very same boy in the face of his daughter and her hair was the fiery, red of her mother.

"My father should have never been subjected to watch that!" Hope yelled out as she stood up. "I know who Touji Suzihara is damnit! He's my father's good friend! How could you have made him do that? How could you have asked my father to turn against another human being? He was a boy for God's sake."

Dr. Ibuki breathed in as she could hear the temper of the young woman and realized that this choice of footage, while it was essential to the rejection factor, was not the best footage to show the young Major.

"I know, Major." Dr. Ibuki said. "There was a reason why I wanted you to see this. In the event a pilot is unable or unwilling to follow orders, the dummy plugs could be used to overtake the pilot's actions."

"Hope, sit down." Sawyer said to her.

Hope breathed out as she sat in her chair with Sawyer's eyes on her. She shifted into his direction asked coolly. "Yes, Commander?"

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Commander." Hope said as she looked straight ahead. Listening to Dr. Ibuki, Hope asked. "Do they still use the dummy plugs?"

"No." Dr. Ibuki stated. "The dummy plugs were clones of the original designer. It was done because the psyche of Unit 01's creator is within Unit 01. The uses of the dummy plugs were prohibited. Now, the will of the EVA falls solely on the pilot. If rejection mode does happen, NERV headquarters can automatically cut off the sync and eject the pilot from the bioplug."

Hope breathed in and looked to Sawyer. She looked back at Dr. Ibuki and asked. "Are you saying my grandmother's imprint and clones were used as fall backs for my father?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"So, explain to me, Dr. Ibuki," Hope said. "What are my chances of being rejected by Unit 01?"

"Not much." She replied. "You're harmonic output syncs almost exactly to your father's original pattern which synced almost exactly to your grandmother's pattern. Hope, you are a match for Unit 01."

"What if it rejects me, Doctor?"

"To make certain that does not happen, you will be undergoing a series of tests. The EVA simulator is as close to being in the EVA unit without actually being in the EVA itself. All activities of the EVA can be simulated through the simulation mode and whether or not you can sync with the Unit will be determined in the simulator."

"How is it different from being in Unit 01?"Hope asked.

"Its not." Dr. Ibuki said. "The EVA simulator is exactly like being in an EVA itself."

"So everything I experience in the simulator will be just like being in an actual EVA?" She asked.

"That's right."

"I see."

"Anymore questions, Major?" She asked.

"No, Doctor." Hope said.

"Very well, we'll continue with the weaponry of the EVA. Captain Larshi will be the next lecturer."

"You seem tense." Sawyer said as he looked over at her.

"I'm fine, really." Hope said.

"Okay." He told her as he looked straight ahead. "Want to grab a cup of coffee after this?"

"Huh?" Hope asked as she looked over at him.

"I asked you if…"

"I heard you." Hope said. "No, I have to…get home."

"Oh." Sawyer said. "Not picking up Souke today?"

"No." Hope said. "Hey!" She exclaimed as she looked back to the lecturer and then whispered to him. "How do you know that I do that?"

"Its my job to know, Major." Sawyer said with a smirk.

"I'm sure." Hope said as she turned her attention back to the lecturer who held up a small replica of the EVA's power rifle.

"So, how about that cup of coffee?" he asked.

"No." She said.

"Why not?"

"I'm busy that's why!" Hope said with an annoyed look. "Get the hint, Commander?"

Sawyer huffed and then turned to look at her once more, he smirked as he admired her profile and his eyes shifted as he watched her.

"What the hell are you staring at?" Hope asked as she looked straight ahead.

"You." Sawyer replied.

Hope began to blush slightly but seemed quite annoyed as she asked calmly. "Have you ever heard of sexual harassment, Commander?"

"Yes." He said. "I was just admiring you was all."

"Well I have my own version of handling sexual harassment, Commander and well, let me put it to you this way. Ranks aside, if you continue to stare at me like that, I will punch you in the nose, then I'll report you for sexual misconduct."

"Oh." Sawyer said as he looked towards the lecturer. "Sounds serious."

"Very." Hope replied. "Especially after I call…_my mothe_r."

Sawyer looked over at her slowly and smirked. "Is that a threat, Major?"

"No, a promise." Hope said.

Sawyer snickered and continued to look at the screen. His eyes didn't shift back towards her again but in his thoughts he said to himself. _Woo! Feisty. I like that. Yup, she's red-hot that's for sure. _

As Hope shifted an eye at him, she smirked slightly. _He is cute. There's no denying that. I've only known him a week. It's crazy. No, better off keeping it just about work. Plus, let's not forget he is an American. Baka American. _

After the lectures ending, Hope walked out of the lecture hall and proceeded to the base cafeteria to grab a cup of coffee. As she walked into the cafeteria, she felt the presence of someone behind her and automatically, she knew who it was.

"Hello again, Commander." She said in an annoyed tone.

"I thought you were leaving after this?" Sawyer asked.

"I lied." Hope said as she picked up her coffee and began to walk out of the cafeteria.

Sawyer watched her go and decided to follow her. He quickly caught up to her and she rolled her eyes.

"What you are doing, Commander, is considering stalking."

Sawyer chuckled. "Not exactly." He told her. "I want to go over the harmonic relay report with you."

"Now?" Hope asked.

"Not quite." Sawyer said. "If you are to go into the simulator, I want you to make sure that you know exactly where your harmonics are and if there is any way to improve it."

"I see." Hope said as she sipped her coffee. "Do you have the report?"

"No." He told her. "It won't be done for another couple of hours."

"Oh okay." Hope said.

"Can I discuss it with you later?" Sawyer asked.

"Uh…yeah, sure." Hope said as she walked over to the elevator and pressed a button.

"I will call you later." Sawyer said as the elevator doors opened and Hope got inside. "Where you off to?" he asked her.

"Huh? Sorry too loud in here! I can't hear you." Hope said as the doors closed. "

Standing in the hall, Sawyer smirked and said to himself. "She's coming around."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

As Hope walked into her apartment, she threw her car keys down on the dining table and thumbed through the mail. She took a breath as she tried to clear her mind, not noticing who was sitting in the armchair. She saw Souke's knapsack over near the corner and nodded her head.

"Hey Souke?" Hope called out.

"Yeah." Her brother answered.

"Any calls?"

"No!" he called out.

"Whatcha doin?" Hope asked.

"Working on my paper!" Souke called back. "How was work?" he asked.

"Okay." Hope said as she looked through the mail. "Bills. Bills. Junk mail. Letter from Mom. Letter from Reina. Bills." Hope put some of the mail down and opened up one of the bills, shaking her head and exhaling in frustration. "Hey!" She called out. "You want pizza for dinner?"

"Okay, Hope." Souke called back as she heard the stereo turn on and heard the annoying sounds of the rock music that she couldn't stand to listen to.

"Hey, why don't you turn that damned stereo down, Souke?"

"Sorry, Hope!" Souke called out as she heard the volume go down.

"Okay, I'm ordering pizza for dinner."

"I all ready ordered Chinese."

Hope nearly jumped as she heard the voice and turned quickly to see Sawyer Dell sitting in her living room smiling at her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with annoyance.

"I thought I'd come by to visit you." He said. "Your brother let me in."

"Oh yeah! Forgot to tell you! Sawyer is here too!" Souke called out.

"Thanks, Souke!" Hope called out as she crossed her arms. "Why are you here?" She asked with the same annoyed tone.

"Honestly?" Dell asked.

"Yes!" Hope growled.

"I just want to get to know you better."

"Oh is that all?" Hope asked.

"Isn't that good enough?" he asked her.

"I do not fraternize with co-workers or superior officers, Commander."

"Well, the other reason is because I wanted to discuss the harmonics output test with you. If you recall earlier, I did say I wanted to discuss it with you today. Tomorrow you're going into the EVA simulator and you need to know some things before you do that."

"Here?" Hope asked.

"Yes, unless you'd like to meet me elsewhere for dinner." Dell said with a smirk.

Hope scoffed and shook her head. "You just don't know when to quit, do you, Mr. Dell?"

"What happened to Commander?"

"I'm off duty." Hope said firmly. "Look, I don't know why you insist on constantly following me around but there are some rules I have. Rule number one; never get involved with someone you work with! Rule number two, do not develop friendships with co-workers, enlisted personell, fellow officers or superior officers!"

"Strict rules." Sawyer said to her.

"Mr. Dell, whatever you have to say can't it wait until tomorrow morning? If not we will go to the base to discuss it."

"What's wrong with you?" Dell asked.

"What do you mean?" Hope asked.

"Do you treat all men this way?"

"No!" Hope blurted.

"Okay, let's look at some facts. Granted, I'm technically your superior officer. Okay, that's fine. Personally, I like you. I think you are smart, funny, very charming and very attractive. I would like to get to know you better. I would like us to be friends and maybe go out sometime."

"I don't need any new friends."

"Oh really?" Dell asked. "Why is that, Hope? What possibly could have hurt you so bad that you push people away like that?"

"What are you? A psychoanalyst? Why don't you pick a copy of my personnel file and read it for yourself, Commander?"

"I don't really want to resort to that, Major." Dell said. "I've read your personnel file, Hope. I've known that you've had some type of trauma in your life but I'm not really sure what it is."

"I'm sure you don't, Commander." Hope said wryly.

"In your file, Hope, are two sealed documents from the Base Infirmary and the Base Psychiatric Hospital in Kyoto. In your file it states you went through a personal trauma due to on the job stress. It doesn't go into details. It just lists an A7 code. A7 is classified as comrade killed in line of duty and the name under the A7 is Major Isao Katsumoto!" Sawyer said to her firmly.

"I see." Hope said as she gritted her teeth.

"That's all I know and I know that Major Isao Katsumoto was killed when his jet crashed due to a gas line that ruptured in his jet four years ago. So that's all I know, Hope."

"Okay." Hope said as she bit her lip and looked away, obviously shaken by what he had just said.

"You knew him, Hope?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes." Hope said as she tried not to give in to her feelings of pain "He was my fiancé, Commander and he was killed right in front of me! I saw his jet crash into the ground. I watched him die."

"Oh." Sawyer said as he breathed in. "I am very sorry, Major. I had no idea that…"

"Sure you didn't." Hope said sarcastically. "I've seen my own personnel file, Commander. I know what it says. It's right there! Plain as day! If you've seen my personnel file than you have seen the exact same documents."

"Are you talking about the sealed documents containing your medical data?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes, Commander. I take it you've read them?"

"No, I haven't. They are in a manila envelope and I do not like reading sealed files unless it's deemed necessary." Sawyer told her.

"So you've bypassed reading my file from the psychiatric hospital, Commander?" Hope asked.

"Yes, Major. I have." Sawyer told her. "You know maybe you are right. Maybe we should just be…. business and that's it."

"Perhaps." Hope said.

"Okay then." Sawyer said as he stood up. "Sorry for intruding on you, _Major_. Here, you can read the file yourself." He said as he threw the folder down on the folder. "If you have any questions, you may call me."

Hope watched as he began to walk towards the door, as he walked away she felt something welling up inside of her.

For some reason she wasn't quite sure of, she asked. "Did you call in the order for the Chinese food?" _What are you doing, Hope?_

Sawyer stopped as a grin came across his face and then he turned to her. "Yes I did."

"Well, why don't you stay and have dinner then. I mean you ordered it. There will be much food." _Hope, warning, warning! Trouble ahead! Disengage immediately! Abort! Abort!_

"I don't want to impose upon your privacy, Major." Sawyer said to her.

"You wouldn't be, _Sawyer_." Hope said to him. _Oh now why did you do that? You went ahead and called him Sawyer? You fool!_

This time he looked at her with a smile, as he asked. "Are you sure?"

"Why not?" Hope asked. "I might have been premature in judging you." _Oh, you're done for now, girl._

"Oh?" Sawyer asked in a confused way.

"Perhaps, I could…get to know you a little." Hope responded with a smile.

Sawyer breathed in as he saw her smile, it was quite unlike the usual scowl that she had. In fact, it made him feel something inside of himself that he hadn't known before and he smiled back at her as he said. "You should smile more often. It looks good on you."

Hope chuckled as she said. "I'm not one to let people…know me so easily."

"That's all right." Sawyer said to her. "I'd like to get to know you, if you'd let me."

"I suppose." Hope said to him as she looked into his eyes and felt butterflies going off in her stomach, she couldn't help to smile back at him and think to herself. _Souke's right. The wall has to come down eventually. _

"I have to say that's quite a turnaround." Sawyer told her.

"Well, I even surprise myself sometimes." Hope joked.

Sawyer smiled at her and then said. "Why don't we sit at the table and discuss the output readings? There are some things that I need to discuss with you which is partly the reason I stopped by."

"Why didn't you tell me at the base before?" Hope asked.

"I didn't have the results then. They came in after you were off duty." He said to her.

"Oh, that makes sense." Hope said as she pulled up a chair. "Actually, I'm just…going to go change. I hate wearing my uniform when I'm off duty."

"Sure." Sawyer said.

"Are you sure its okay to discuss the results of the test here? I mean my brother is here. Isn't this classified information?"

"I'm not concerned about Souke." Sawyer said. "He seems to be otherwise, occupied."

Hope chuckled as she said. "Yeah, you could say that. Give my brother a stereo and his assignments and he's all about the books."

"How is it he lives with you?" Sawyer asked.

"Well, you know going away to college…. Souke wasn't crazy about being in the dorms. I mean he's pretty outgoing, likes to hang out, and dates a lot and overall he's just an average guy but when it comes to his studies, he's very focused. Souke knew that the dorms would be distracting so, I offered to have him stay with me. When he graduated and went to law school, he stayed here. My family is happy that he's with me. I think it's their way of keeping an eye on me."

"That was nice of you." Sawyer told her.

"I had another reason. I like having my little brother around. He's my best friend."

"I can see that." Sawyer said. "When I came by, Souke wouldn't shut up."

"Oh yeah, he does tend to ramble." Hope said as she blushed a little.

"He thinks very highly of you. He admires you a lot." Sawyer said to her.

"Well, he's my brother." Hope said as she smiled and then turned on her heel walking towards her bedroom. "I'll be…. just a sec. Make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks." He said to her.

Hope walked towards her bedroom knowing that Sawyer was watching her, she smirked as she went in and then closed the door, exhaling, smiling and shaking her head. "You're in for it now." Hope said to herself aloud as she went to her closet and looked for something comfortable to wear.

A few minutes later, she emerged from the bedroom and Sawyer once again smiled as he looked up from his documents and saw her.

"I hope I wasn't too long." Hope said as she walked over to the table.

"Not at all." Sawyer said with a smile as he looked back at her. She wasn't dressed at all like a diva. Instead, she wore a simply USC gray sweatshirt and a pair of blue jeans. Her hair was neatly tied back and Sawyer thought to himself. _Damn, she looks good._

Hope blushed catching the twinkle in his eyes and then chuckled as she settled down into her chair. "So what is it about the test?"

Sawyer took another glance at her before he cleared his throat and then said. "Well, basically the harmonic output that you have is a close match to what Unit 1 will accept."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you have a 90 chance of being accepted as its pilot."

"With a ten percent margin for rejection." Hope said as she breathed out. "What could happen if Unit 1 rejects me?"

"Its uncertain." Sawyer said. "However, at the first sign we cam terminate the sync. The EVA simulator is pretty much the same as being in the EVA. The EVA will respond to you."

"Do you think the EVA will reject me?" Hope asked.

"I don't know how anyone could reject you." Sawyer told her with a smile.

Hope blushed as she looked down. "So what happens if the Unit does reject me?"

"Worse case scenario?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes." Hope responded.

"In previous viewings of NERV footage showing pilots that have been rejected by other Evangelion, we've seen automatic ejection of bioplug, freezing of LCL, shutdown of all life-support basically, the Unit wants to rid itself of the pilot by any means necessary. In some ways, the EVA has a mind of its own."

"Why is Unit 1 the only one in existence?"

"Unit's 00 and 02 were destroyed right before Third Impact occurred. Your mother was thought to be killed in Unit 2 when the completed Evangelion series attacked her. Unit 2-A was reconstructed but then decommissioned about twenty five years ago."

"My mother was attacked? Why?" Hope asked.

"SEELE was able to manipulate the governments into believing that NERV and Commander Gendo Ikari wanted to initiate Third Impact. A mandate was sent out to recover the Magi, the EVA's and exterminate all NERV personnel including the three pilots."

"SEELE had that much power?" Hope asked.

"Yes." Sawyer said. "SEELE's power influenced the United Nations a great deal. In fact, SEELE tried to undermine and destroy NERV. It was Gendo Ikari who kept them at bay for a while until, he forced their hand and they struck."

"So, the Japanese government believed SEELE?" Hope asked.

"When it was discovered through research that SEELE was behind it all, it was too late to recall the damage. Third Impact was all ready underway. It was too late. In the end, your parents were the only survivors of Third Impact."

"I still can't believe my parents endured something like that." Hope said. "To know you are the only ones left alive…it seems unreal. How old were they when this happened?"

"Fourteen or maybe fifteen years old." Sawyer said to her.

"Wow." Hope breathed out. "It does kind of explain why my parents had me when they were so young." Hope said with a chuckle. "I never knew any of it. Why is it you think that they never told me?"

"Oh that's easy." Sawyer told her. "To protect you, Hope."

"Protect me?" Hope asked.

"Yes, protect you from being what they were turned into. Your parent's childhoods were robbed from them. Third Impact changed your parents' lives dramatically. Hope, the one thing a parent never wants for their children is to endure any horror that they themselves have known."

"How is it you became so close to this, Sawyer? There had to be a reason and don't tell me that it was because of an interest in the truth of Third Impact?"

Sawyer breathed in as he looked at her and then said. "It was because I never wanted to see something like ever happen again. I knew the story behind Third Impact wasn't real. Throughout my life, I can't explain how I know, but I've had a feeling that Third Impact wasn't what they said it was. Call me crazy but I've always had the feeling that I needed to be involved and discover the truth. I grew up in Virginia. My parents were just average everyday people. I didn't come from a covert line of spies. I wanted to become a covert spy. I wanted to grow up and be something more then I ever thought I could be. All of this just seems right."

"So at twenty five you basically assumed all of it by yourself?" She asked.

"Yes. For five years that's what I've done, my work is important to me."

"I guess a man like you doesn't have much in the way of attachments." Hope said.

"Attachments?"

"You know, a wife, kids, family. Was that ever something you thought about?"

"Still do." Sawyer told her. "I just…. I've had relationships but when it came to my work…"

"They couldn't understand." Hope finished.

"That's right." Sawyer said.

"I know that feeling. Before I met Isao my relationships were like revolving doors. Guys didn't understand how much my career meant to me. The only time I didn't know that was when I met…"

"Isao." He said.

Hope nodded. "He put everything into a new light."

"You miss him a great deal, don't you?"

"Everyday of my life." Hope said as she breathed in. "His death changed me in a way you couldn't imagine."

"I could." Sawyer told her gently.

"I'm sorry…. I don't mean to…"

"Its all right." Sawyer told her. "I like listening to you. I want to know about you."

"You should think twice about that." Hope said as she looked down.

"I don't think so." He said as he gently reached for her hand and held it.

Hope looked over to him and saw him smiling at her, it was a warm smile and it made her feel something inside that she hadn't known in such a long time. Hope smiled at him as she looked at him holding her hand. As she breathed in once more, she saw those blue eyes of his dancing for her again.

"Sawyer…." She whispered.

"Yes?" he asked.

Hope could only stare back at him as he looked back at her. Her heart was beating wildly. She watched as he moved his chair closer to her and bought his arm around the back of her chair. His eyes darted to her lips as his head moved closer to her.

Hope closed her eyes as she parted her lips, he moved closer to her until he was a breath away.

"Hey!" Souke said as he came out of his room and stood in the hall.

_Damnit,_ Hope thought, as she quickly straightened up as Souke caught a glimpse of two blushing adults.

_Holy shit! _Souke thought to himself. _Way to go, Hope. Score! But, don't think I'm going to let you get away with this. Oh no! The Souke attack is just beginning I am going to milk this opportunity and tease the hell out of her._

"So? What are you guys up to, huh?" Souke asked. "A little office pow-wow, perhaps?"

"Souke!" Hope growled in a warning tone.

Sawyer turned a shade of red and put his hand behind his neck as he too quickly straightened up upon being startled by Souke.

"Chinese here, yet?"

"No, Souke. Dinner isn't here yet. Why don't you go back to work on your paper? I'll call you when the food's here."

Souke snickered as he looked at Sawyer and nodded his head as he said. "Suuuuuuure."

"Souke!" Hope growled as she began to get up from her chair.

"Okay, okay." Souke said with a smirk. As he turned, he winked at Hope and then proceeded back to his bedroom shutting the door behind him, once again turning up the stereo.

"TURN THE DAMN STERO DOWN!" Hope bellowed.

She heard the volume decrease once more and then sat back down as she looked at Sawyer blushing slightly.

"I apologize." Hope said to Sawyer. "My brother tends to be a bit…of a pest at times."

Sawyer laughed. "I think he's pretty amusing."

"Amusing?" Hope asked with a chuckle. "You try living with him! He's pretty much impossible!"

Sawyer laughed. "I can see you love your brother very much."

"Well yeah." Hope said. "I mean…. he's my brother. Oh my God, though, he's such an idiot."

Sawyer began laughing loudly as he heard her. Hope raised an eyebrow.

"Something funny?"

"You called him an idiot!" Sawyer said through a muffled laugh.

"He is one!"

"You sound just like your mother. She calls your Dad that all the time."

"Oh!" Hope groaned. "Not you too!"

"Why what's so bad about that?"

"I am nothing like my mother." Hope said. "My mother flies off the handle about every little thing! She constantly picks on my poor Dad. I don't think I ever remembered a day that went by, as a kid, and an adult, when she hasn't called my father an idiot or baka!. It's not right! My father is not an idiot! My father was a master carpenter and an expert cellist! She has some nerve calling him an idiot when she acts like one most of the time! She always boasts about herself! My mother and myself are nothing like each other! I only have her hair color and that's it! If anything, I'm more like my Dad."

"Suuuuuuuuuure." Sawyer said with a smirk.

"What?" Hope asked with a smirk.

"I think you would find it a complement to be compared alike to General Ikari. Your mother is a legend in her own right. Aren't you proud of that?"

"Of course I am!" Hope said. "I love my mother and I am very proud of her. I am honored to be her daughter but…. living in her shadow sometimes, its like…."

"…. People expecting you to be like her?" Sawyer asked.

"Kind of." Hope said.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about where that's concerned. You are definitely your own person."

"How is it your so perceptive?"

"I am a good judge of character." He said to her with a grin. "It's what's gotten me this far in life."

Hope smiled at him. "I actually am enjoying this."

"I am too." He told her. "I am glad I am came by today."

"I am too. You're not as bad as I thought you were."

Sawyer chuckled and then said. "Bad? You thought I was bad?"

"Well, you are an American." Hope said with a chuckle.

"And how is that bad?"

"I'm not even going to go into that." Hope said with a laugh.

"Oh, let me guess…" he said as he snickered. "Gaijin?"

"Whaa…"

"Gaijin, right? Round eye devil or bastard whichever you prefer." Sawyer said with a chuckle.

"Well, yeah that is what it means but I never thought you were gaijin!" Hope said with a laugh. "I am surprised you know what that means."

"I am fluent in Japanese as you can tell." Sawyer told her.

"I know but…there are some words that aren't learned when speaking Japanese."

"You're speaking about curses, right?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Sawyer smirked and then colorfully displayed for Hope all of the Japanese curses that he knew. "….I think that's all of them!"

Hope began to laugh as she heard him. "I would say so."

"Before I learn a language, I always learn the bad words first."

Hope smirked and then said in plain English. "Yeah, Sawyer, that's some shit."

"Oh you know my words too?" he asked.

"Quite a few." She responded.

"I'm impressed." Sawyer told her.

"What? You're impressed that I know how to curse in English?"

"Believe it or not, yes." He told her.

"You are an odd man, Sawyer Dell." Hope told him.

"I've been told that before." Sawyer said with a smirk.

( Stay tuned for the next updates coming shortly…..Again much thanks to Nick2951, you rock! ;)


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The slender, athletic woman with bright red hair and soft blue eyes walked through the corridors. She had on a red and gray uniform and on her head was a small cap. Over her right ear was a small communications device sitting in her ear attached to that was a small microphone, which came out right above her lips.

The uniform, different from her usual black uniform, fit her well. It hugged her body tightly but it was not provocative in the way it looked. In her right hand was a small metallic attaché case and in her left was a small plasma pad.

Her face showed a wide smile and in her footsteps was the air of confidence as she continued down the long corridor. She continued with the same smile as she stopped in front of the desk, handing the small plasma pad to the man.

"This way, Major." He said as he ran a light pen across it and got up from the desk. The man was wearing a uniform similar to hers except for the holster around his waist revealing a pistol as his sidearm.. As he walked over to a door and inserted a keycard into it, he punched a secondary code into the panel.

The door slid open, the man stepped to the side, and then she stepped through it. The door closed behind her and she walked along a long metal bridge in a large, cold room.

She walked up to a turbo lift and pressed a button. Seconds later, a computer voice came on.

"State current destination?"

"Evangelion Unit One." Hope said.

"Identity? Please, confirm."

"Major Hope Ikari."

"Accepted."

The doors opened up and Hope walked through them, turning to face them as they closed shut. The doors were transparent as she began to travel upwards. In her view, she could see Evangelion Unit 01 rising to meet her gaze through the doors of the turbo lift.

She took a deep breath as she clutched her attaché case's handle and the doors opened up as the turbo-lift stopped.

She came out of the turbo-lift and walked on another metal bridge, walking further until she was directly in front of the huge mecha.

Hope stared at it. She was amazed. _Such power_, she thought to herself. _It's so huge. It feels so odd. This was my parents' weapon and now its mine. _

She took another deep breath and then uttered to the Unit. "I'm here."

It was then Unit One opened its eyes and Hope's eyes widened, as she didn't expect that type of reaction.

Taking another deep breath and regaining her posture she said. "For the hope of the world, EVA, with all of my strength…I need your help to do this."

She looked at the giant one last time before she heard Sawyer over the communications relay coming through the small earpiece in her right ear.

"Major, don't be alarmed."

"I'm not, Commander." Hope said.

"That's just the EVA acknowledging your presence. It does that to a pilot."

"So basically, its saying hello?" Hope asked.

"You could say that." Sawyer told her. "Okay, Major. Proceed to the Simulators. Keep walking down the bridge until you see the stairs that lead up to the simulation area."

"The simulators are kept pretty close to the EVA." Hope said as she began to walk down the bridge. "Why is that?"

"Simple. The closer we are to the EVA, the better sync ratios we can acquire. Also, its necessary due to the design of the simulators."

"I see." Hope said as she walked further down. She saw the staircase and walked up, then saw a door and went inside.

"Okay, Major.. Proceed to Unit One Simulator. When you open the hatch and seal yourself it will be just like you are in the EVA. Are you prepared?"

"Yes, Commander." Hope said firmly.

"Continue." Sawyer told her.

.Hope walked over to a small hatch that read UNIT 01 SIMULATION TANK. She took another deep breath and then turned the handle that opened the hatch.

Looking inside of it, she saw a large chair in the center of the room. Coming out from the chair were two places to put one's right and left leg, extending from the arm of the char were two places to put one's arms and at the top of the chair looked like a type of headset.

"Major, enter the tank and close the hatch."

Hope walked in and crouched down as she closed the hatch and then saw an eerie red light come on in the small area.

"Sit in the chair, Major. Put your right leg in the right leg control and the left leg in the left leg control."

"Yes, Commander." Hope said as she went into the chair and did as Sawyer instructed.

Then she heard a locking noise and felt two large clamps, lock down trapping her legs in the device.

Hope breathed out as she suddenly became aware her legs were trapped and they were spread open.

"Major, before you place your arms in the arm control holsters reach for the headset above your head and bring it down slowly over your head."

"Yes, sir." Hope said as she reached up and bought the headset down until it fit snugly over her head.

"Now the attaché case you bought with you needs to be plugged into to the socket at the base of your console. That's your flight recorder, Major."

"Understood, sir." Hope said as she took the attaché case and flipped open a panel on the side where a small cable was wrapped up. She took the cable and plugged it into the socket.

"Okay, here's the last part. Place your arms into the arm control holsters and grip the handles at the end but do not, repeat do not move them."

"Will my arms be locked in?"

"No. The pilot needs to have full use of their arms for other tasks within the EVA."

"Okay." Hope said. She slowly slid her arms into the holsters and then gripped the small handles she found at the end. "Ready."

"Now here's the tough part. In a moment, you are going to have LCL flood that entire cabin. Its going to feel like your submerged in water for a minute but then its going to disappear and you'll synced with the EVA."

"Yes, sir." Hope responded.

"This is what you do. Close your eyes and hold your breath for twenty seconds when you hear the alarm. This will make the sync experience less traumatic for you. Under no circumstances do you panic. The LCL has oxygen in it. It's a breathable liquid that dissipates in less then thirty seconds. Do not panic, Hope. It's not something you can drown in. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Commencing with LCL Flooding." Sawyer said.

Hope heard the alarm and then closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, holding her breath. She could feel liquid start to fill the cab, it was rising quickly, over her legs, then her abdomen, then her chest, her neck and finally above her head.

Over her headset, she listened to Sawyer. "Major, you're sync ratio is currently 60…. now 70…85…. we are at 100, Major. You are now in sync with the EVA."

She felt slightly apprehensive but then felt the liquid disappear and she heard over the headset. "You can open your eyes now."

Hope opened her eyes and breathed out, amazed that the liquid was nowhere in sight and that she wasn't the least bit wet at all.

"Okay, Hope all of EVA's functions are voice activated aside from the physical movements that you make yourself. Anything you want to do just state it. First up, activate the control panel."

"Okay." Hope said.

"Major, begin the command control sequence. You do that by stating the name of EVA and its function. For instance…say Unit 01, control panel."

"Unit 1, control panel." Hope said.

Then monitors started flickering in front of her and she could hear noises coming from the radio. Soon, the monitor flickered again and a small square popped up showing Sawyer's face smiling back at her, he too was wearing a headset.

"Good work, Major." He said with a smile.

"What are you staring at?" Hope asked with a grin.

"Nothing." He told her. "I just have…. a good view of the cockpit." He said with a smirk.

"I'll bet, Commander." Hope said back to him with a smile.

"Major, I want you to try to send basic commands to the EVA. Walk, move, and turn. Things like that."

"Okay." Hope said.

"Command the EVA to walk."

"How?" Hope asked.

"How do you normally walk?" Sawyer asked

"I just….walk." Hope said.

"Exactly. Imagine that you are walking and act as if you are going to walk. You're legs are now synced with the EVA. You will not be able to remove your legs until the simulation is complete or if you were to have your sync terminated. Imagine you are walking."

"Acknowledged." Hope said. She tried moving her leg and then felt the entire simulator move as she could feel her steps being intimidated. "Oh my God, I did it!" Hope said with a wide smile.

"This is what happens when you sync." Sawyer told her. "Your movements become the EVA's movements. You are in sync with the EVA. You control its body therefore; your body movements are what the EVA will follow."

"I understand, Commander." Hope said.

"Now, let's try raising its arms."

"Okay." Hope said as she gripped the handles of the arm holsters and felt like she was moving her arms around.

"Very good, Major.." Sawyer said as he looked at a computerized display showing Unit 1 raising its arms up and down. "That's great progress. Now make the EVA turn, just make like your going to turn."

Hope shifted her body and then her eyes widened as her console moved with it as she felt herself turn around.

"Whoa!" Hope said with a chuckle. "All of my movements are replicated! This is fun!"

Sawyer chuckled. "Just try not to have too much fun, Major. We're on a timetable."

On the computerized display, Sawyer watched as Unit 01 spun completely around and he chuckled.

"EVA Ballet?" Sawyer asked.

Hope chuckled at him and said. "How's this for a sync test?"

As Sawyer looked up at the screen, he watched the EVA raise its arm and then extend only its middle finger.

Sawyer chuckled. "I'd say that's progress."

Hope laughed back as she stared at him on the monitor.

Hope peered over to the vital statistics monitor and smirked as he saw her heart rate rise after he had smiled at her.

"Easy, Major. You're heart rate just rose somewhat. I wonder what could cause that?" He knew it was cheating by reading the vitals display to know that he had gotten to her but he couldn't' help it.

Hope shot a look at him as she smiled and chuckled, her cheeks flushed and again Sawyer saw the heart rate rise. "Commander, keep your eyes on the task at hand."

"I'm doing that." Sawyer told her with another smirk.

Hope chuckled at him. _Yesterday had been quite an evening._ _I would have never have believed I could feel this way again._

As she smiled at him and the way her eyes shined at him, he knew that yesterday at her house was a major turning point for both of them.

Hope continued to do test after test. Sawyer continued to watch her, monitoring the harmonic outputs and sync ratios until he said. "Are you ready for a break now?"

"How long has it been?" Hope asked.

"Uh, about six hours worth."

"Six hours? Why is it I'm not hungry or have to go to the bathroom?"

"Well, its because the EVA has the ability to restrict certain things like hunger, the ability to relieve yourself. It has something to do with the sync, I really not sure what it is. After the sync is over, you might want to find the nearest restroom."

" I suppose." Hope said.

"Okay, Major. Disengaging simulation. When the red lights come back on, the hatch will open, disconnect your flight recorder and exit the simulator, then meet me in the control room."

"Okay, I'm just going to change out of the plug suit first. It's not that restricting. I mean it's tight but it feels like I'm naked."

"That's the idea." Sawyer told her. "In the EVA, you need to feel as little of a restraint as possible. The plug suit protects your body from the LCL and at the same time, provides you with the ability to use your body without being restrained by your normal clothes."

"I can understand that." She said. "Is that why I did those other tests naked?"

"Exactly. Harmonic outputs needed to be adjusted so that your plug suit could be designed to be a better resonator."

"This is really amazing." Hope said.

"I agree." Sawyer said with a smile. "Meet me at the control and I'll show you the results of your first simulation test."

"Sounds good."

Hope then breathed out, as she felt dizzy for a moment. The headset on her head was raised up. She saw the red lights come in the simulator and saw the hatch door open. Her legs were released and she pulled them from the restraints as she reached down and disconnected her flight recorder.

"You're sync has been disconnected." Sawyer said. "Good work, Major."

Hope sighed and then suddenly felt like she really needed to use the lavatory quickly.

About a half hour later, after she had finished taking a shower and changing back into her black uniform, she went into the NERV Command Center.

She saw Sawyer in the command hub, sitting at his desk. She smiled as she proceeded to go over to the stairs and walk up towards the command hub. As she came up to the hub, she walked up to Sawyer who was seated at his desk overlooking the entire command center.

"Commander." Hope said as she nodded, looking at him with a smile.

Sawyer looked over and turned around in his chair so that he faced her. "Hello, Major." He answered her with a smile.

"I…didn't take too long, did I?"

"Not at all." He said. "Come here, I want to show you something."

Hope approached his desk and stood next to him suddenly several panels on his desktop appeared, each showing different readouts.

"Throughout the test, we observed that your vital statistics were normal from start to finish. That's good."

Hope nodded.

"Now, over here, this is your sync and harmonic output. Your signatures stay nominal at 100 throughout the simulation but, it dips slightly around here to 85 and we want to avoid that."

"Where?" Hope asked as she bent down slightly, leaning over so that she was next to him, looking at the desk.

Sawyer, noticing how close she was at that point, simply looked at her but then cleared his throat and said. "Well, its right here." He told her as he pointed.

"Where is it?" Hope asked as she leaned closer to him.

"Its right there." He told her in a low voice as he took in the scent of her perfume, mixed with the smell of her shampoo and the LCL, all of which, a dangerous combination to have around him. "You smell good." He whispered to her with a smirk.

"Sawyer?" Hope asked as she turned her head to him with a smile. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know." He responded back with a smirk.

"We're at work, Sawyer." Hope said with a smirk.

"I know." He told her.

"We should act…. professional." Hope said with another smile as she looked at him.

"I'm trying." He told her.

Hope giggled as she blushed slightly and looked back at those dancing blue eyes of his. "Sawyer, ….you know…. last night…."

"I know." He said with a smile.

"Well," She said as she giggled again. ", Its just….it was a while for me, y'know?"

"I had that feeling." He told her as he smiled.

"Does that mean you thought…I was inexperienced?"

"Hope, don't take this the wrong way….but yes, I could. Its okay though, you only get better with time."

"I'm acting so foolish right now." Hope whispered as she looked at him.

"Its okay to be silly." He told her with a smile.

"Yeah, but let's face it, our jobs don't exactly seem like the type of place where we'd be…silly."

"I know but how about we both be silly later?"

Hope smirked as she said. "How silly?"

"Very." He whispered back.

"Is it the kind of silliness that could us both into trouble?" Hope asked.

"I hope so." Sawyer whispered back to her.

"Well then, we should be silly later." Hope whispered into his ear with a smirk.

"I can't wait." He said with another smile.

Pulling away from his ear, she said in a very professional manner. "Okay, so show me the harmonics output."

"Okay." He told her as he looked at the display. "Its over here. For the most part, it was nominal too but it dipped slightly….you went from 100 to 85 at one point and that's not good."

"What should I do?"

"I think it was because it was, " then he turned with a smile as he said it, ", your first time so to speak."

Hope giggled at him as he said it, shaking her head.

", But…. the more time you spend in the simulator the more you will get used to it. Its to be expected with a new pilot that there will be apprehension but after a while, you'll get used to it and then we'll move you into Unit 1 itself."

"I am just amazed what I was able to do. Piloting a device like that? It simply amazes me."

Sawyer resisted the urge to say something. When she said that all he wanted to do was tell her that she amazed him, but he resisted and simply said. "A good pilot can make all the difference in making sure an EVA is successful in its duty."

Sawyer's phone rang on his desk; he reached for the speakerphone and picked it up. "Yes?"

"Commander Dell, I have the President of the United States on the phone for you."

Sawyer looked to Hope and then back at the phone as he picked up the receiver. "Go ahead. Put him through."

Hope straightened up as she watched Sawyer's demeanor shift and he sat upright in his chair and said in a firm, commanding voice. "Good morning, Mr. President."

Hope watched him as he nodded his head and then replied. "At this time, sir, our intelligence data have not yet pinpointed the location of SEELE. We are running on a few leads."

Sawyer was silent for a minute and then answered. "At the request of General Ikari, Mr. President, I am working fully in compliance with the Japanese government and the United Nations in securing and dismantling SEELE's base of operation."

Sawyer nodded his head once more and then responded. "No, Mr. President, I do not, at this time, have the evidence that is required in order to find SEELE."

Sawyer grimaced and breathed out, as he nodded his head and responded. "Tonight, sir? Washington? Tomorrow morning? Sir, I am in the middle of training a new pilot. Sir, I realize that the CIA needs to be briefed on the operation but I have been selected to run NERV and prevent a worldwide catastrophe from occurring!"

Sawyer breathed in again as he said. "Of course, Mr. President, I know my allegiance to my country! I know where my duty lies and right now, Mr. President; I am not able to leave my base of operation in order to attend a one-hour CIA briefing. I can conference in at your time and attend the briefing."

Sawyer was quiet for a moment and then said. "What new data? They found…what?"

Sawyer breathed in and then said. "Of course, Mr. President! Yes, I will leave within the hour. Thank you, sir."

Sawyer hung up the phone, stood up as he looked at Hope and said. "Change of plans tonight."

"Well, I do think that meeting with the President is a terrible excuse!" Hope said with a smirk.

"I'll be back tomorrow. I just have to get through this meeting. Apparently, there's some information that they've discovered and I need to be there."

"I understand." Hope said. "After all you are in the CIA."

Dell smiled at her and then said. "I'll have Dr. Ibuki supervise your session tomorrow. Let's walk together for a while."

"Okay." She said as the two of them walked out of the command center and preceded to walk down the hall.

Sawyer looked over at her and said with a smile. "I never expected you to change your mind about me so quickly."

"Neither did I." She said to him.

"Hope, don't think I'm…well, that…. I'm…a romantic or anything…. but, last night…I just…."

"I know." Hope said as she looked over at him. "I feel the same way. Sawyer, I haven't laughed like that or felt like I could be with anyone like that in so long…I can talk to you about anything… and it frightens me to know that I've only known you two weeks, and yet…. feel this way about you."

"I know what you mean." He said to her.

"I've never done anything like that before, Sawyer! I mean, I just…. I don't know."

"Here." He said as he turned a corner and hit the button on the turbo lift. The doors opened and they quickly got inside, as the doors shut, Hope leaned against the wall.

Hope looked into his face as he came towards her and smiled at her.

"Sawyer…you…"

"Listen to me very carefully," he said to her as he stood in front of her. ", I don't think either one of us should fight what we're feeling for each other. Okay, granted we've only known each other a short while…. but, its obvious that there is something….between you and I that just…. just …brings us closer."

"Sawyer, I feel like an idiot." Hope said with a chuckle. "What we did last night…I mean…"

"Yes, I know!" Sawyer told her with a smile. "What's so wrong about it? Haven't you ever wanted to just…. break out and do something totally out of the blue?"

"Of course I have…Sawyer, don't get me wrong…. I'm not saying…. I didn't like it…. I did…I loved every minute of it. I never thought it would be so much fun…."

"You've done it before though? Haven't you?"

"Yes but only once before, many years ago." Hope said with a smirk. "I just…. I had so much fun last night. I can't explain to you…how much fun I had."

"I did too." He told her. "Oh God, Hope. Its taking every bit of restraint not to just take you into my arms and kiss you…kiss you long and hard…. kiss you the way I've been thinking about kissing you."

"Not here, Sawyer." Hope said as her cheeks became red. "I'm not prepared to hear that you and me are the subject of gossip."

"I don't care where it is." Sawyer told her. "I just want to seize the moment."

"Let's also not forget that there are security cameras in here." Hope told him.

"Hope, all last night, I wanted to kiss you. If Souke hadn't interrupted us before dinner….and if Souke hadn't interrupted us before…."

"…. You would have." Hope finished.

"Of course, I would have!" He told her. "I wanted to a thousand times last night. It's almost crazy, Hope. I'm acting like I'm seventeen again."

Hope laughed as she heard him, swatting him on his arm gently. "Sawyer!" She continued to smile at him as she said softly. "I can't seem to understand myself either." Hope said as she looked at him. "I mean it was only one night, Sawyer."

"Yes, but what a night it was!" He said with a wide smile as he stepped closer to her and put his hands on her waist. "The way you looked…. my god, you looked amazing…"

"Sawyer, I was wearing a rumpled sweatshirt with blue jeans! I did not look like a beauty queen."

"Oh yes you did." He said to her with a smile. "I couldn't take my eyes off of you. The way you smelled that night, Hope, intoxicated me!"

Hope giggled and blushed as she looked at him. "You are a very odd man!"

"If I didn't have to go to board a plane to DC in a hour…I would say, let's find a nice quiet corner where I could kiss you as much as I wanted to."

Hope again blushed. "Who would have thought?" she said as she giggled again. "A game of mini golf would be…. I can't even find the words…."

"I know! Its crazy, isn't it?" he asked her.

"I mean, we're acting like we…. well, you know…"

"What?" he asked her.

"Don't read into this or anything but, you and me we're acting like we slept with each other and we didn't!" Hope said with a laugh as she turned a deep shade of crimson.

"Don't get me started on that." Sawyer said excitedly with a smirk as he looked at her. "Once, I get started…I can't stop."

"Sawyer, we're getting in too deep." Hope said nervously.

"I hope so." He whispered in a husky voice.

"Is it wise with…. all of these projects going on? You're my superior and I have rules about that…"

"Rules, Schmules!" he said.

"What?" Hope asked.

"I just mean………who cares…I love being with you." He told her with a smile.

"Is it normal to feel this way? I mean, we've only known each other a short time…"

"I know." He said to her with a grin. "Hope, I wouldn't trade anything for this feeling I have right now…I wouldn't give it away for all the riches in the world…. there's only one thing that could ever make me trade the way I feel right now."

"What is that?"

"To have a kiss from you. In that regard, I'd never lose that feeling at all." His palm reached up and cupped her cheek lightly, making her breathe heavy as he moved closer to her.

"Oh." Hope said as blushed again and smiled. "…Uh…okay."

Sawyer smirked at her. "You are adorable the way you do that."

"The way I do what?" She asked with a smile.

"Blush ever so slightly." He said with a grin. "I really like that…. I think I like anything that you do."

"Sawyer…." She breathed out as she looked into those eyes.

"To hell with cameras." Sawyer said as he moved in closer to her just as the doors opened and several people started coming inside of the elevator.

Quickly, the two of them straightened up, both looking away at the same time and each of them flustered as people looked at them.

"Commander…" one of the people mentioned.

Sawyer nodded his head in a greeting as he took a look over at Hope and smirked slightly.

Soon, the elevator, which only had the two of them, was extremely crowded with NERV staff.

Hope took a look at him and giggled, as Sawyer looked back at her and smirked. The two of them now stood jam packed in between several people in the elevator and they both couldn't help but to laugh.

After they got out of the elevator, and arrived at the above ground platform Sawyer looked back at her and told her. "I'll be back soon."

Hope smiled at him.

Wanting to hold her in his arms and kiss her with everything that he felt at that moment, Sawyer Dell looked back at Major Hope Ikari in the midst of the crowd moving about.

Hope equally couldn't stop staring at him as she smiled back at him and wanted to feel his strong, muscular arms around her. She needed to feel him kiss her and make her feel just as amazing as she all ready felt.

"Have a good flight." Hope told him.

He breathed in and out as he looked at her and told her. "We'll continue this when I get back."

"Oh, I know we will." Hope said with a smile.

Then Hope and Sawyer both went their separate ways as she went to go head home and he went to go board a plane for Washington DC.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 

Sixteen hours later, the conference room at the Pentagon in Washington DC, had fourteen people seated around a large, oval conference table. In some parts of the room, other people men and women, both military and CIA, foreign and domestic, as well as FBI stood discussing the topic of today's briefing.

Sawyer Dell walked into the room, shutting the door behind him.. He was dressed in his dark hunter green suit with his id badge hanging from the lapel on his suit jacket. He was exhausted. Fifteen hours by plane and six cups of coffee couldn't prevent the jetlag from taking off at Kyoto, Japan to Andrews Air Force Base.

He knew that having been back in the United States he would have to stop and visit his parents and brother but his mind and heart wanted to get back to Japan as soon as possible, simply to keep command at NERV and to keep his eye on a certain half Japanese-German Major whom he couldn't stop thinking about.

Sawyer took his seat at the conference table, placing the briefing folder in front of him. He looked over to the right and near the front of the table. He looked to the right and saw General Ikari.

She sat dressed in her full uniform, giving him a nod as a greeting as she looked over at him and then looked at her watch.

Sawyer nodded back at her with a smile, wondering. _Why is she in Washington? She wasn't on the plane with me last night._

"Good morning." A very overweight, white haired man with a white mustache, wearing the uniform of the United States Army, said as he walked to the front of the room. He stood at a podium at the front of the table. He cleared his throat as he opened his briefing folder and looked around the room, on his shoulder board, three silver stars were displayed on both sides.

Sawyer breathed in as he saw him.

_Shit_. He thought. _General Nathaniel Harris. He's biggest loud mouth on the Joint Chiefs of Staff! How can he remain active duty? He looks like he's over three hundred pounds now! Bastard! I can almost guarantee he's going to blame someone for something today_. _More then likely, he'll be gunning for NERV and me. That fat bastard! I wonder why Asuka is here. It's not normal for a foreign general to attend these briefings. Something is up._

As the lights in the room went off a large screen came down near the front of the room, General Harris spoke. "I don't have to remind you that's what's spoken of in this room will remain classified and will be discussed only with key personnel."

Sawyer fixed his eyes straight ahead as a satellite photo appeared.

"This was taken approximately twenty hours ago…its location has been confirmed as being in the Sahara Desert. Apparently, what we are looking at may be the unconfirmed hidden base of SEELE. A SEAL team was sent in to investigate the existence of this base. While the surveillance mission was underway an AT field was discovered."

Sawyer took a breath after he heard that and several people in the room became uneasy.

General Harris continued as he said. "Shortly after the existence of the AT field was discovered, the SEAL team was summarily eliminated by the discharge of an AT field. Before the SEAL team was eliminated they detected it and sent a message to their command location. We received that information this morning. Command has confirmed that this base belongs to SEELE and they are now observing this base under close watch."

Again, everyone in the room became uneasy again.

The General cleared his throat and then looked in the direction of Sawyer Dell. "Perhaps, NERV can explain this morning why it failed to obtain this data and the Central Intelligence Agency did?"

Sawyer was stuck. He wasn't sure of what to say.

:"Commander Dell?" General Harris asked.

It was true lately his mind had been elsewhere, for lack of a better term, but reconnaissance was not what he was sent to do and he felt anger at Harris' "pointing-of-the-finger."

"Commander!" General Harris snapped again as he focused at Dell with all eyes in the room on Commander Dell.

Sawyer stood and then said. "NERV's focus at this timeframe is to prepare the pilot of Unit 1 to take control of Unit 1. I do review the intelligence data that is sent to me. I have not seen anything like this before!"

"Perhaps your focus would be better if you didn't worry so much about Major Ikari, Commander Dell! Are you running NERV or trying to get a date?" General Harris asked angrily.

"General, with all due respect," Sawyer said as he looked at the fat General and tried to keep his cool. ", My focus on Major Ikari has been to increase her confidence in order to pilot the EVA successfully. With me today, I have included data from the last sync test. From the first simulation test, Major Ikari has been successfully able to sync with Unit 1 and gained control easily."

"That is not the issue!" General Harris said forcefully. "What is the issue, Commander Dell, is that SEELE is found and found soon!"

"Sir, my responsibility at the current timeframe is to command NERV." Sawyer said. "In order to do that my focus must be totally and completely involved with the functions of NERV."

"How do you explain the existence of an AT field, Commander?" A woman wearing a dark blue business suit asked. "That would fall under the control of NERV. How can we explain that we failed to obtain this data because of NERV's lack of intelligence?"

"It was my understanding, Senator, that the CIA and British Secret Service were to monitor the movements of SEELE." Sawyer said.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Commander Dell," General Harris said. ", But you are a part of the CIA, are you not?"

Sawyer breathed in as he said. "Yes, sir but since I have been given command to NERV my orders are clear, as dictated by the UN Peacekeeping Committee, and by the President himself. I am in charge of NERV. Intelligence is not NERV's function! Intelligence and surveillance were to be conducted by the CIA and the British Secret Service!"

"Yes, Commander Dell, and aren't you also with the CIA?'

Dell breathed in as he glared at the General stating. "Yes. I am. My function though…."

"Your function is to do what we request of you!" General Harris stated. "It's obvious that you failed, Commander Dell! This is pure negligence on your part."

"You are mistaken, sir!" Sawyer said loudly. "If you recall, General, at my last report, I had confirmed that SEELE was the one behind this the whole time! Before that I requested that more reconnaissance be conducted when it was discovered that it could be SEELE! It was you who looked the other way for six months before anything was done! It wasn't until after they moved their base that we were able to confirm their existence and location! If you had offered me the resources I needed then, we wouldn't be in this mess right now!"

"You remember who you are speaking to!" General Harris stated.

"I know who I am speaking to! I'm telling you that you should have acted when the information was first revealed!" Sawyer stated.

"I agree."

Sawyer took a deep breath as the screen in the front flashed and the face of the President of the United States flashed on it.

Almost immediately, General Harris became uneasy.

"Mr. President." Sawyer said.

"Commander Dell, in reviewing the reports, I have seen that it was this tribunal who ignored evidence. I also know that it is NOT NERV's responsibility to gather intelligence and conduct reconnaissance. That falls directly to the CIA. Even though you are a part of the CIA, you are the commander of NERV, therefore, you're job was to conduct the command of NERV and not to gather intelligence. Now though, it seems as though there is a greater problem on our hands. From what I understand, the existence of an AT field can only come from two sources either an Evangelion unit or an angel, is that right?"

"Yes, Mr. President it is." Sawyer said.

"General Harris, in further examination of the satellite photo what was the data received from the SEAL reconnaissance?"

"While the data was being reported, the SEAL team recorded the outputs of harmonics from the AT field. There's no question, Mr. President, it is SEELE and it is either another Evangelion they are constructing or something else…. possibly an angel."

"Either way, this threat needs to be neutralized. My pilot can be battle ready in an appropriate time frame." Sawyer said as he sat down.

"General Ikari, is the Japanese government prepared to immobilize if needed?"

"Yes, Mr. President." General Ikari said. "Our strike teams are ready to go at any given moment. I also have the British and the Russians on alert if necessary. Mr. President, I have had first hand experience with SEELE previously. They fooled the world into almost destroying its salvation…this time…this new SEELE…. should be completely neutralized."

"I agree, General." The President stated.

On another screen appeared the Japanese Prime Minister along with the Russian President both of them nodded their heads as they looked at General Ikari.

"Mr. President?" The British Prime Minister said as a screen flashed. "General Ikari is best equipped to command the strike team against SEELE."

"I disagree!" General Harris said. "This is an American operation. US forces should be commanded by an American commander!"

"General Harris," General Ikari said as she leaned forward. ", this is first and foremost a United Nations operation. As such, I feel that due to my experience and knowledge in dealing with this type of situation, that I am best suited to command the strike team."

"I believe you have a personal agenda as well, General."

"I would not resort to that." General Ikari said, as her face became one of tension.

"Mr. President, " General Harris said as he glared at General Ikari. "It was shortly confirmed from observation of the medical records belonging to General Ikari's husband, former Evangelion pilot Shinji Ikari, that his cancer did not occur naturally."

Asuka breathed in as she heard Harris, her face now becoming one of anger as she thought, _You fat son of a bitch_.

Harris smirked vindictively as he continued. "Further examination revealed that, from the introduction of a topical agent, Shinji Ikari's cancer was purposely triggered. It also revealed in an email sent to the Pentagon that SEELE admitted their guilt in this act! SEELE has been provoking us the entire time with their hidden, encrypted messages. They are making no bones about their intentions. They intend to exterminate humanity by unleashing more purified form of humanity, which was not successful with Third Impact. The exact wording of the email stated, _what Shinji Ikari stopped – will be continued._ We need to act now, sir!"

"You have some nerve!" General Ikari growled.

"It is true, General. Are you going to sit there and tell us it isn't? SEELE tried to murder your husband and because of it, you want revenge. Not to mention, SEELE operatives were captured and admitted to purposely causing the death of your daughter's fiancé Major Isao Katsumoto! You are way too close to this!"

_Bastards. _Sawyer thought to himself. _Asuka's lived with this knowledge. It's no wonder how much she hates SEELE. I hate them even more just listening to this. My God, what they did…. they tried to destroy Hope by destroying the man she loved. Her father. They tried to kill her father only; they are killing him slowly and painfully. If I was Asuka I don't know if I could hold that type of restraint. _

"How dare you!" Asuka growled. "You are grasping at straws, General Harris."

"You've seen the reports yourself, General Ikari. You know it's the truth!" General Harris told her.

"It is the truth, General Harris." Asuka said calmly as she narrowed her eyes. "General Harris, don't you _ever _think that it is my way of exacting revenge. SEELE needs to be neutralized plain and simple! The longer we take in trying to battle this out over bureaucratic nonsense and mudslinging is less time the world has!"

"Let us also not forget," General Harris stated. ", that General Ikari's daughter, Major Ikari, is the pilot of the EVA! I feel as if she's too close to the operation! I personally feel General Ikari has a vendetta to keep which is her main motivation for commanding the strike team."

Sawyer's eyes widened as he heard Harris and then looked over to General Ikari who flashed an angry look at General Harris.

"The main reason why General Ikari should command the strike team," Sawyer said as he looked at General Harris. ", is because you are an overweight paper pusher and she's an actual soldier! SEELE is nothing more then a group of terrorists and terrorists should be eliminated!"

"Commander Dell!" General Ikari said as she shot a look at him. Standing up, she took a deep breath as she said calmly. "While it is true that I blame SEELE for sending my husband to his grave way too early, and I do blame SEELE for hurting my daughter by taking away the man she loved, it does not mean that it will interfere with my ability to command this strike team and completely neutralize SEELE. If it turns out that they have indeed been able to replicate an AT field and actually have been able to create another EVA or even an angel, then believe you and me, you'll want me to command this strike team! I was an EVA pilot for a sum of seven years. I know what this pilot will face. I know what an angel is capable of. I've faced this before! I know how vicious the power of AT field can be. I know what SEELE's power is like; I've witnessed it for myself. None of you can say that at all! By trusting someone of lesser experience, you are sending this operation to failure. If you place your trust in me to command this strike team, regardless of the fact that my daughter will be the one possibly sent to her death, I will do what it is requested of me and I will shut down SEELE once and for all."

"How poignant." General Harris stated.

"She's right." The Japanese Prime Minister stated. "General Ikari is the best choice for this operation. My former Minister of Foreign Affairs Misato Katsuragi holds her in high regard. It is the reason why General Ikari represents the nation of Japan in the UN and the reason why General Ikari is so widely respected is because of her service and her bravery. I do not feel that her personal life affects her ability to command. Also, as a side note, General Ikari is German born but gave her service to Japan. For that, I consider her truly to be Japanese and serve our country with distinction."

"I agree." The President stated.

"I do as well." The Russian President said.

"It is apparent that General Ikari should be the commander of the strike team." The British Prime Minister said.

"This is preposterous!" General Harris blurted. "A General from Japan commanding an American operation and American forces?"

"No." The President said. "It's a problem that effects the entire world. Thereby, this is a UN operation and all countries will be involved. This is not an American problem, General Harris, this is a worldwide problem."

"For the hope of the world, General Harris," The British Prime Minister said. ", I would trust that the most valuable officer, General Ikari, be given that responsibility."

Harris breathed out in frustration as he looked to General Ikari and said. "I am not comfortable with this decision! I am one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mr. President!"

"Yes, we know that you are." The President said. "You would not serve us well to conduct this operation. The soldier needs to be in command. That soldier is General Ikari. You, General Harris, are best equipped to handle administrative and reconnaissance intelligence."

Asuka smirked slightly, having won the battle as Harris glared at her.

"General Harris, you will oversea the administrative function." The President said. "You're resources in gathering intelligence have been flawless…. we need you to continue that function."

"Mr. President!" General Harris said loudly.

"General Harris." The President said calmly. ", you may be one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff but, I am the Commander In Chief of the United States of America. I will decide what your role is or I will dismiss you from this tribunal. Do I make myself clear?"

"I understand, Mr. President, sir." Harris said as he lowered his head. "I will do as you order, sir.".

"Commander Dell, you are not at fault for not obtaining this information. You were right. The task of intelligence falls upon the CIA and our covert operations. We will afford you any resources that you need and any intelligence you require."

"Thank you, Mr. President." Dell stated.

"General Ikari," The President said. ", I realize your home life is not an easy one at the moment but I trust in your abilities. The United States will give you any amount of resources or personnel that you require in order to successfully complete this operation."

"Mr. President, " General Ikari said as she breathed in with a smile. ", thank you, sir."

The President nodded at her and then looked to the Director of the CIA as he said. "I want all of your teams focusing in on that base. I want to know everyone who goes in and out of there and I want to know about everything that is conducted there. I want you to supply intelligence to NERV every hour on the hour."

"Yes, Mr. President." The Director of the CIA stated.

"Commander Dell," The President said. ", we realize you just began your sync tests. You need to move up your timetable. We want you to make your pilot battle ready as soon as possible."

"I do not feel that will be an issue." Sawyer said. "My pilot is an experienced, Japanese air force pilot. She has had combat training and she is an experienced soldier. Getting her battle ready will not be an issue."

"Let us also not forget, Mr. President, " General Harris stated. ", that Major Ikari is an experienced battle ready soldier with psychological damage."

As Asuka looked over in General Harris' direction, she narrowed her eyes, and with all decorum aside, said very calmly. "General Harris, shut the fuck up."

Sawyer tried to hold back a laugh as he heard her and saw the wide-eyed, open-mouthed, shocked expression of a flushed General Harris.

Everyone in the room was shocked by what she had done. They knew of her temper. Yet, to issue the very profanity in a professional setting was not socially acceptable by any means.

The President though chuckled at the response, as did the Japanese Prime Minister and the British Prime Minister. The Russian President though said.

"Yavol!"

"Please excuse my vulgar candor." General Ikari said to the room. ", But this baka needs to keep his mouth shut!"

"General Harris!" The President said quite abruptly. "We have all read Major Ikari's file! Personally, having read what Major Ikari went through, I feel she is a survivor and has proven herself a valuable soldier! If you attempt any more of this childish banter I will have you removed and then discharged from the Army under Dishonorable Conditions."

"Mr. President?"

"Do I have to repeat myself?" The President asked.

"No, Mr. President." General Harris stated. "I apologize for my outburst, sir. General Ikari, I owe you an apology. I apologize for my…lack of respect towards you."

"Accepted." Ikari said.

"Now, then, General Ikari, have all teams ready and on standby. We need to coordinate this attack well in order to be successful."

"My feelings exactly." General Ikari said. "We will work with all teams involved and successfully plan out an attack structure for the neutralization of SEELE."

"How long until the operation commences?" Dell asked.

"While the satellite photo reveals the location of the base in the Sahara…. getting into it has been another matter entirely." Harris said.. "We've decided to erect a temporary command structure, outside of the AT field's radius, from where NERV will be able to monitor the situation when the strike team attacks."

"That's good thinking." General Ikari said. "The EVA, despite the existence of an AT field, has anti-AT defenses, plus its own AT field. If we first coordinate an effective strike we can create a diversion which would allow the EVA to get in and do what is needed, then we can send in the strike teams and neutralize SEELE."

"Are you saying that you are sending us in?" Dell asked.

"That's exactly what we're saying." The President said. "The use of the EVA is the best defense against this type of threat."

"How long?" Dell asked.

"As of now, consider yourself and all personnel on standby." The President stated. "Commander Dell, use all available resources into making your pilot battle ready. Have your pilot briefed that she may be called into battle soon."

"Understood, Mr. President." Sawyer said.

"Very well." The President said. "This meeting is adjourned. May God be with all us all."

The screens switched off and the lights came back on. People started exiting from the room.

Sawyer breathed in and nodded as he got up from his chair and made his way over to General Ikari bypassing General Harris who quickly hurried out of the room.

"Congratulations." Sawyer told her. "You are the best choice for this type of operation, General."

General Ikari nodded as she said. "It's still…unsettling."

"I will do everything that I need to in order to make this operation go smooth." Dell told her.

"I know that you will, Sawyer." General Ikari said.

"Where are you headed now?" he asked.

"Back home. I didn't really want to leave yesterday….I was kind of….well, let's just say I don't like being away from Shinji all that much.."

Sawyer nodded as he said. "I understand. I never knew any of that before. I mean about Shinji and Hope. I had no idea.."

"Sawyer, its essential that this information be kept classified. You can't tell Hope any of it. It would drive her over the edge knowing Isao was murdered and it would undermine her abilities to know that SEELE hurt her father. I've been married to Shinji for almost thirty-five years now and I can tell you I've never lied to my husband…. until, I learned the truth about what SEELE had done. I couldn't tell him. I didn't want to tell him."

"I will keep my word to you. I will never tell Hope. You can count on me, General." Sawyer told her.

"So, Hope, is progressing well?" Asuka asked.

"Yes. Very well. Her sync went without a hitch."

"Sawyer, listen to me carefully, " Asuka said as she looked at him. "I know what's going on."

"What do you mean?" Sawyer asked.

"I have spies, Sawyer." Asuka said. "Well, not really. Souke can't keep his mouth shut."

"What did he tell you?" Sawyer asked.

"Not here." Asuka said. "Let's go grab something to eat and I'll tell you there."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

After leaving the Pentagon, in a small restaurant off of the Potomac River, Asuka and Sawyer sat at a table eating a quick lunch outside. To the right the Watergate Hotel stood and in the distance the Washington Monument could be seen.

"Okay." Sawyer said to her. ", You're going to tell me what Inspector Souke told you?"

Asuka smirked. "Well, " she said as she took a bite of her food. ", he called me up in this excited voice to tell me first he got an A on his exam and that the final will be in three weeks. Then, he proceeded to tell me…"

_"…Ma, you won't believe it! I can't believe it either but I'm so happy for her! I…just…I am so happy for her!"_

_"Souke, what the hell are you talking about?"_

_"Ma! Hope went out ON A DATE!"_

_"A date? Who?" _

_"Well, he's her commander at work. Don't freak out, Ma but he's…an American…"_

_Silence on the other end, as Asuka held the phone and said. "What…is…his…name, Souke?"_

_"Oh, Sawyer…uh, Sawyer Dell, I think? Doesn't that sound like the name of a corporation, Ma?"_

_Silence on the other end again._

_"Ma?"_

_More silence._

_"Hey, Ma!"_

_"SOUKE!" Asuka boomed._

_" Mom, don't be mad. She's happy. Really. I haven't seen her smile like that in a while. Oh check it out, Ma. I must still have some cop instincts left over from when I used to be one. I walked up, actually snuck up on her, while she was sitting at the table with him, and he tried to kiss her! I caught her though…Ma, it was hilarious!"_

_"What?" Asuka asked._

_"Ma, I know how you get and I'm telling you, don't…. please don't go into your Gaijin, baka or Dumpkopf thing, okay? _

_"Sawyer Dell?" Asuka blurted loudly_.

_"Yeah, Ma. Ma, calm down…Don't you want her to be happy?"_

_"Yes, Souke, but…."_

_"…. Then let her be happy, Ma."_

_Before Asuka hung up the phone, Souke heard her yell out…"SHINJI! BAKA, GET OVER HERE….WE NEED TO TALK!"_

_"Uh….Ma?" Souke asked as he heard yelling in the background. _

"Sawyer?" Asuka said as she looked at him.

"Yes, General?" Sawyer asked nervously as his face was bright red as his eyes were wide.

"I told you to keep your hands off of my daughter."

Sawyer breathed in as he looked at her and then said very calmly. "General Ikari, I respect you immensely. You've…. given me many opportunities and I truly believe you are my friend as well. General, I will confess to you that since you gave me the task of protecting your daughter, I have done that. I have protected her and I wanted to motivate her but, what I didn't count on was feeling the way I do about her."

"Damnit, Sawyer." Asuka said as she looked at him. "Harris is breathing down our necks as it is! You don't want to give him any more fuel for his fire! Sawyer, what are you doing?"

"General, I know how you feel. I am telling you it will not interfere with my ability to command."

"Sawyer, you should have told me this before!" Asuka scolded.

"What would it have done?" Sawyer asked. "You knew that I was the best choice for this operation. She is the best choice, and the only choice, for a pilot now. If I was to tell you, that I would still give my life for her, that I would still do what it is required of me…would you believe me?"

Asuka breathed in as she looked at him and then nodded her head. "I would. Sawyer, you may be asked to potentially send in to her to a situation where she could die. You realize that, don't you?"

"Yes, I do." Sawyer said.

"Could you do it?" Asuka asked.

"Could you?" Sawyer asked back. "You'll be in charge of the strike team. You'll be giving orders. Could you do that, General?"

Asuka breathed in and tightened her fists; she closed her eyes as she said. "I've always felt my whole life that my daughter was meant to do something great with her life. Hope has known that too. My daughter and myself are very much alike, even when she tells you she's not like me, she is. I value duty and honor. My daughter is the same way. What needs to be done will be done. If my daughter dies in battle, then I will resign, but I will know that she gave her life for this world and that to me is the best way to honor her and love her."

"Will you tell Shinji?" Sawyer asked.

"Shinji knows all ready." Asuka said. "I hold nothing back from him except for one thing and I will never mention it."

"Does he know about Isao?" Sawyer asked.

"He knows the truth." Asuka said. ", But to tell him that he was purposely given a death sentence? No. I could never say that to him."

"Hope doesn't know?" Sawyer asked. "She doesn't know about Isao or Shinji?"

"No." Asuka said. "Keep it that way. Promise me."

"I promise, Asuka." Sawyer said to her.

"Sawyer, I could order you to not to get personally involved with my daughter. You know that, right?"

"Yes, General I do."

"However, such an order would create suspicion and gossip and it would give Harris the perfect opportunity to really place distrust in our command." Asuka said. "So, I am not going to order you to stop seeing, Hope. Instead, I want to know…Sawyer, how do you feel about her?"

Sawyer took a deep breath as he looked at Asuka and said boldly. "I'm falling in love with her, Asuka."

Asuka took a deep breath as she reached for the wine on the table and took a large sip. "Say that again, Sawyer?" Asuka asked as she held the glass of wine..

"General Asuka Ikari, I am falling in love with you daughter." Sawyer repeated.

Asuka breathed in again and took another sip of wine. She held the wine glass for a minute and then answered. "I see."

"She's truly amazing." Sawyer told her with a smile. "She's beautiful and smart, funny and she's got a fire that I've never seen before in anyone. She's courageous and strong. I've only known her in actuality two weeks but truth be known, I felt something for her the minute I picked up her file and read her story and heard you explain to me all about her. The first time I saw her picture, I wanted to meet her. General, when we went out that night, we only went to go play mini-golf and as silly as it seemed…that whole night was incredible. No, General, before you ask…. I didn't…well, you know…. we didn't do that. However, that night was so great! We just laughed and had a great time until one am. I haven't felt like that in so long and from what I saw of her, neither did she. Her whole demeanor changed after that, she was so full of confidence. She passed the test without any trouble! I think I'm helping her."

"I see." Asuka said as she glared over at him.

Sawyer looked down for a moment and then said. "You are my superior officer." He raised his head and breathed in. ", I will respect any decision that you make and follow any order that you give me. If you tell me to stop seeing her socially and make it purely business, then I will. I don't want to jeopardize the mission but after this mission is over, I want to follow up on how I feel about her. It's up to you. I will follow your orders, General because I respect you and regard you as a good friend and my mentor.."

Asuka took a look at him. She thought long and hard about this. Sawyer had been completely honest with her always. He had trusted her and she in turn trusted him. She had given him an enormous responsibility and perhaps, when she entrusted the care and protection of her daughter to him, as well as the command of NERV, she felt, in the back of her mind, maybe…. this wasn't to be unexpected and maybe, as she had told Shinji, maybe, Sawyer was what Hope needed.

Sawyer was everything that Asuka originally did not like. _Young. Cocky. Brazen. Flirtatious. Worst of all, he was an American_. She hated Americans. _Land of the free, home of the brave, flag waving, patriotic red, white and blue! The great bald eagle as their symbol! The way all of them believed in their fictitious happy endings and delusional states of euphoria! The way the majority of them would rather watch their televisions then pay attention to the actual news of the day! Americans! Bah! Fools!_

The first time she had met him she had thought, "_Stupid baka American gaijin dumpkof"_ as well as a slew of other German and Japanese profanities and insults. Yet, she had seen his bravery tested a thousand times over and had witnessed his dedication to his work.

Harris was the worst type of American; he was a _biased, fat-assed, boorish, pompous_ _son of a bitch_.

Sawyer was one of the best; _he was honest, forthright, dedicated, and patriotic_.

After meeting and getting to know Sawyer, and after having met the President, Asuka's view of Americans changed slightly…not much but, _slightly._

General Ikari knew she was respected.

The UN Peacekeeping Tribunal held her in high regard and believed in her. The Japanese Prime Minister offered her the position of Defense Minister three times, after Misato retired, and all three times, she had turned him down.

Most of all, Sawyer held her in high regard and so did the President.

Americans helped her whenever she needed it. _Americans were there when nobody else would heed the call. Americans helped their people and made a society where anyone could aspire to be something greater. _

_Okay, so Americans weren't all that bad._

In so many ways, Sawyer reminded her of Kaji. The first crush she had as a girl always made her smile. Yet, one thing was true of both Sawyer and Kaji.

_They both fought for the woman that they loved. Sawyer loves Hope?_

_Would it be so wrong if he was to be with Hope?_ _Hearing the happiness in Souke's voice on the phone, I could just imagine my daughter's elation. Hope has _an_ enormous task in front of her; she has to keep her focus._

But then, she thought of her and Shinji when they were younger. She always knew that Shinji loved her. It was obvious. She hid her feelings from him. She was too proud to admit to it. _Love that idiot? Ha! You must be joking_!

Yet, she had seen that very same "idiot" risk his life time and time again for her. She remembered all that they endured during Third Impact and what he had done for her and her alone.

One thing was always preached to their family and it was a belief that every Ikari held close to their hearts.

_"Love is the source of your strength."_

Hope needed it. Sawyer had it. Shinji had given it to Asuka and that made the walls around her heart shatter and his love wrapped around her like a warm blanket. That same love bought them three children, all strong, all successful. _Hope was a soldier. Souke, a former police officer, was now studying to be a lawyer and Reina was so musically inclined. How did we get so blessed and so fortunate? How can I deny Hope that same opportunity? This man loves her. Why should I stand in the way of it?_

Asuka looked back to Sawyer and said. "If you're asking me for my blessing," taking another sip of wine she sighed and answered. ", I begrudgingly have to say…yes."

"What?" Sawyer asked.

"Go ahead, Sawyer!" She growled. "Date my daughter. Make her happy. Make her smile however, I don't want this to interfere with our operation." Asuka told him. "Yet, I want her to be happy. Do you think she feels the same way?"

Sawyer smiled at her and said. "I think she does."

"Have you told her?" Asuka asked.

"Not yet." Sawyer said. "I didn't want to rush so quickly."

"Good." Asuka stated. "Just keep your eye on the ball. Do what needs to be done. This operation is your main priority."

"I understand, General." Sawyer said. "Thank you."

Asuka with a sigh picked up her wine glass and sipped it. Then with a smirk, she nodded her approval.

_Could be worse_, she thought, _An American. Gah! I might have an American son-in-law…ugh! Shinji, I hate to say it. You were right. I hate when you're right. Idiot._


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"The time to act is NOW!"

"Relax." A man with an American accent said. "We shouldn't be too hasty in our decision."

"General Ikari is now a part of the strike team that will infiltrate our base…we cannot fail! This is your doing! You assured us _you_ would be given command of the operation!"

Again, the American smirked saying. "There is a better way to undermine the situation."

"In what way?" A man with a thick Chinese accent said. "How you guarantee success?"

"You have to strike the center." He said with a grin. "I think its time to call Mr. Ushida."

"What are you suggesting? Wouldn't Asuka Ikari be a better one to eliminate?"

"She's too well protected." The American said. "Trust me. The timing couldn't be more perfect. If you strike the center of her world, everything falls."

"Very well." A woman with a British accent said. "Carry out your plans."

"You wont' regret this." The man said with a smile as he picked up a phone and dialed. "Hello, Mr. Ushida? This is your drycleaner. Your suit is ready to be picked up. By the way, Shinji Ikari sends his regards."

Then he hung up the phone and smiled.

"Now then, we shall see what happens next."

"You are way too confident." A man stated.

"As I told you before," The American said with a grin as he stroked his white mustache. "Its only a matter of time now."

( Stay tuned there are more updates to come…..we're getting closer to the end. Again, big thanks to Nick2951, BigDave, InuyashaFan, Alexander, Jessup and anyone else that I have forgotten ;), Thanks for the great feedback. I hope you enjoyed this update. PS Doesn't SEELE suck?)


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Okay, Major, that's enough for today." Dr. Ibuki said over the COM.

The red lights came on in the simulator and after having disconnected her flight recorder, Hope exited it from it and proceeded to the locker room where she enjoyed a nice, hot shower.

As she showered, she thought of the way that the simulations have been stepped up. _This is unusual. Ten hours? Everyday? No breaks. Fourteen days of this? What the hell is going on? Why hasn't Sawyer returned yet? He hasn't called either. I wonder what's happening. It's been at least two weeks now. When is he coming back? _

She exited the shower and pulled the towel from the side of the door, drying herself off as she wrapped the towel around her body and then proceeded to her locker.

After quickly changing into her uniform, she proceeded to the command hub. When she walked in she went up to the stairs to the command hub and nearly broke into a large smile as she caught sight of whom was standing over the desk.

"Commander!' She said happily.

He turned to her and gave her a smile. He was wearing a blue denim shirt with his sleeves rolled up, his pants were the darkkhaki. On his head was his headset and his arms were crossed as his attention was focused on the screens in front of him.

"So, these are the latest tests, Dr. Ibuki?"

"Yes, Commander Dell." Dr. Ibuki said as she stood off to the side wearing her white lab coat. Ibuki adjusted her glasses while she ran her hand through her now gray hair. "Major Ikari's sync remains nominal throughout the testing. Ten hours per day for fourteen days and it has not changed."

"We have to step it up." Dell said firmly. "Do you feel that she is ready now?"

"I would say…. yes." Dr. Ibuki said. "All though the only other pilot for Unit 1 has been Shinji Ikari. We have no idea how Unit 1 will react."

"Her sync and harmonics match close to his, do they not?"

"Yes, Commander.. Plus the harmonic echo will make Unit 1 believe that Shinji is still the pilot of Unit 1 as a safety measure."

"Good." Sawyer said. "Is Unit 1 fitted for Major Ikari?"

"Yes, Commander, the modifications were completed two days ago. Solid tests have been running since then. Unit 1 is ready."

"Have the hanger crew detach all moorings and prepare it for launch tomorrow morning." Sawyer said firmly.

"Yes, Commander." Dr. Ibuki said as she walked away.

"Commander!" Hope said with a smile as she stood in the command hub.

Sawyer turned to face her. He smiled at her briefly with his blue eyes dancing for her and said. "Good afternoon, Major."

"How was your trip?" Hope asked.

"Fine." He answered flatly as he focused his attention back to the monitors.

_You haven't seen me in two weeks, Sawyer and that's the greeting I get? What the hell?_

"Major Ikari!" Commander Dell said as he turned to her. "I've been given strict orders. We're to be on standby for a potential strike."

"A strike?" Hope asked.

"Yes. Navy SEAL teams have been observing, what they believe is the base of operation for SEELE in the Sahara Desert. A command structure has been erected to be the temporary command center for NERV. General Ikari will be in command of the strike team."

"General Ikari will?" Hope asked.

"Yes." Sawyer told her. "I've been observing your test results while I was in Washington. You've done well, Major. It seems as though you corrected that dip you had in the first simulation. Good. Now, you're ready for the second phase."

"I see." Hope said as her thoughts turned to her duty. "What time frame are they looking at for the strike?"

"At this time?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes, Commander."

"It is unknown." Sawyer told her. "Major Ikari, tomorrow you're going into the EVA itself. You'll perform battle exercises at the testing grounds. You are fully versed in the operation of the tactical and defense mechanisms, aren't you?"

"Yes, Commander." Hope said as she raised an eyebrow.

"Very well. The sooner you become battle ready the better off you'll be. Your training in the simulator is complete. Now you need to actually operate the EVA."

"You said the simulator wasn't much different from the EVA."

"In terms of battle it is." Sawyer told her.

"Sawyer?" Hope asked.

"Major Ikari," Sawyer said as he turned to her in a very direct way. ", at the moment I have much work that needs to be accomplished. Tomorrow morning you will report here at 0600 and proceeded to the hanger deck where you will change into your plug suit and board Unit 1. You are dismissed, Major."

"Understood…_Commander_." Hope said as she went to turn to leave, taking another look at him and then exiting from the command hub. She proceeded to walk down the stairs.

Sawyer watched her go and then took a deep breath as he continued his work. _I'm sorry, Hope_, he thought. _I just I have to keep my eye on the ball_. _There's much I have to tell you only now, I can't do it. I'm sorry._

Hope was angry. _No hello-Hope-how-are-you? No I-missed-you-Hope- and-I'm-glad-to-see-you. What the hell? What happened? What? Did Souke tell my mother about us? I'll bet he did and I'll bet my mother told him he couldn't see me anymore. Duty and honor, right? Yeah okay. You should have thought that before I actually started feeling something for you, Commander! How could you do that to me? Why? What's going on? Something happened in Washington that's for sure._

Angrily, she proceeded to the elevator and then from there went to her car and drove home with her temper boiling.

Even after she got home and engaged in an argument with Souke about how loud his stereo was, she had hoped for at least a call from him and no call came.

Frustrated, she went into her bedroom and slammed the door. She threw herself down on her bed, setting the alarm for four thirty am.

It was early, only 21:30, 9:30pm. She tried to rest but her mind was a jumble and she was restless nearly all night with questions.

What's going on? 

_What is this strike about?_

_Did they find SEELE? _

_Is the EVA going to be involved_?

_Why are they pushing me so goddamned much?_

_What happened to Sawyer? He didn't even…maybe its work. ._


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

0600 Zulu

Evangelion Hanger

NERV COMMAND CENTER

Kyoto, Japan

Major Ikari stepped off the turbo lift and walked down the metal bridge. She stopped and turned staring at the giant mecha. She felt apprehensive, as she knew she would be inside of it.

She stepped into the transfer tube and watched as the door shut. A computer voice came on.

"State Destination?"

"Evangelion Unit 1."

"Identification?"

"Major Hope Ikari."

"Accepted."

Moments later, she shot through the transfer tube and found herself within the bioplug of Unit One.

"NERV Command to Major Ikari."

It was Sawyer.

Hope put on the headset as she said. "Major Ikari."

"Major, ready yourself for sync."

"Acknowledged." Hope said as she plugged in her flight recorder, put her legs in the holsters and then adjusted her headset. "Unit 1, control panel."

The control panel in front of her lit up. Several monitors were displayed and then a screen displayed showing Sawyer standing in command with Dr. Ibuki

Hope took a deep breath and then said. "Major Ikari to NERV Command, begin sync on my mark. Mark!"

Hope shut her eyes and took a breath, as she heard the alarm. She felt the LCL flood the compartment as she heard the gushing of liquid and felt herself doused in it until, she opened her eyes and saw it disappear.

"Sync activated." Sawyer told her.

"Acknowledged."

"You are now synced with the EVA, Major. How do you feel?"

"Fine." Hope responded.

"Major Ikari, prepare for countdown to launch."

"Acknowledged." Hope said.

"T- minus 10, 9, 8,"

Hope took a deep breath and she gripped the controls and felt her heart beating quickly.

"7"

"6"

"5"

"4"

"3"

"2"

"1"

"LAUNCH EVA!" Sawyer called out.

Hope braced for impact as she felt the EVA launch upwards through the gate and felt the force of 3 G's against her. She saw the opening to the launch tube and then realized she was topside.

"Unit 1, visual." Hope stated as suddenly she had a clear view of the outside world around her.

It looked like a beautiful day from the way the sun was rising and painting across the sky a canvas of crimson and orange. She smiled as she watched it with wide eyes.

"Report?" Dell asked.

"Sync and harmonics are nominal." Lt. Fyuki reported from the NERV Command Center. "Pilot reports at 100 percent . Heart rate and respiration are nominal. Pilot is in the green zone, Commander."

"Major, your sync ratio and harmonics output are nominal. Prepare for battle testing."

"Acknowledged." Hope said.

"Major, pull your rifle out from the holster and aim at the target. It's the same as using any other gun." Dell said. "Remember, the EVA duplicates your movements."

"Piece of cake." Hope said as the EVA reached for its sidearm, its particle rifle, which looked like a 50 foot shotgun in purple, and held it just like she would hold any other gun. The EVA took its aim and then Hope fired onto thetargetrepeatedly.

Sawyer observed from the control room and nodded his head. "Good. That's good progress.. Draw your secondary weapon, your battle dagger and practice moves with that."

For a total of six hours, Sawyer had Hope perform exercise after exercise. He watched the outputs of harmonic and sync ratios on the monitors and thought of the impending mission in which they could be sent in at any time.

After the tenth hour of testing, Sawyer said into his headset. "Major, go back to the launch pad and fix yourself firmly on to it. You'll be recalled back to command."

"Acknowledged." Hope said as she made the giant EVA walk towards the launch pad and then stand against a large wall, which she felt her sync disconnect as soon as she did it.

"Sync deactivated. Good work, Major."

"Thank you, Commander." Hope said.

Shortly after she had exited Unit 1 and took a shower, she went to the command hub. As she walked in, she watched as Sawyer stood watching the monitors, his face showing a deep look of concentration as he had his arms crossed.

Hope walked into the command hub and stood next to him. He turned and smiled at her, then turned his attention back to the monitors.

"Give me a harmonics resonance report!" Sawyer demanded. "I want all graphs up on the screen! Show me the data from yesterday's sync from time of sync to deactivation."

"Sawyer?" Hope asked.

"Hold!" Sawyer said into his headset as he turned to her. "Yes, Major?"

"Commander, I'd like a word with you." Hope said as she stared at him.

"At this time, I am currently working on several assignments. It will have to wait."

"No, Commander, it can't!" Hope demanded.

"Major, you are dismissed." Sawyer told her.

"Commander, I request permission to speak with you."

"Denied at current time." Sawyer told her.

Hope looking at him strangely walked up to him, and said in a low voice. "What's going on, Sawyer?"

"Major!" Sawyer said as he looked into her face with a serious, firm voice. "I have dismissed you! Report to duty at 0600 tomorrow morning."

"Commander?"

"YOU ARE DISMISSED!" Sawyer told her.

"Yes, sir!" Hope said angrily as she turned and walked out of the command hub.

Sawyer again watched her as she left. He shut his eyes for a minute but then went back to work.

The following day, she returned and put herself in the EVA. Again, she successfully synced with it and again performed battle exercise after battle exercise. She also had to spend an additional five hours in the simulator performing multiple combat and tactical simulations.

At the end of the day, Hope was tired, hungry, grouchy and frustrated with Sawyer.

He continued to mull over the reports or have his ear on the phone.

Hope no longer wondered about him and her.

Now, it seemed her task was to get battle ready for an impending mission. A relationship with the man whom she found so whimsical, funny, charming and outrageous would have to wait.

Right now, _the Commander_ was in charge.

They continued this an additional two weeks. For a total of four weeks, Hope had been successfully piloting the EVA.

Sawyer supplied reports to General Ikari on her progress and to the UN Peacekeeping Committee.

Every time she walked past him, he wanted to throw his decorum aside and just take her into his arms. It was taking all of his power now to restrain himself now from being with her. Asuka had given him her blessing to be with Hope but, Sawyer alone had decided that the success of the mission was more important.

Hope too concentrated on the mission and threw herself into her work. She was on duty every day at 0600 and finished work nearly twelve hours later.

She also was sent for mandatory time at the range to keep her marksmen skills up and also was sent into the gym to practice her self-defense training.

All in all though, she was getting quite annoyed.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

0600 Zulu

Evangelion Hanger

NERV COMMAND CENTER

Kyoto, Japan

Hope got off the turbo lift and proceeded to walk down the metal bridge to her EVA.

"Good morning, EVA." Hope said to it as she stepped into the transfer tube. She took a deep breath and then found herself in the bioplug. Preparing her pre-launch sequence, she sighed.

"NERV Command to Major Ikari."

"Go ahead, Commander." Hope said.

"Prepare your pre-launch sequence."

"Acknowledged. Pre-launch sequence has been engaged."

"Prepare for sync activation."

"Acknowledged." Hope said as she yawned. "Unit 1, control panel!" The lights flickered and then displayed all of the digital readouts and monitors she needed. She looked at the panel in front of her showing Sawyer standing at the command hub. _Where did you go, Sawyer?_ She thought. _Where is that man that made me laugh so hard weeks ago? Where is that man that I started to…? No! Can't think about that. Mission. Concentrate on the mission. Block it out, Hope. Put your attention on the task at hand, Major. You will more then likely be taking this thing into battle. Prepare yourself. If your lucky enough to survive it, then you can ask Sawyer all about his change in demeanor. Its got to be work. He still looks at me the same way. It has to be. Either that or my mother got involved. What is it, Sawyer? I'd wish you'd tell me more. _

"Sync activated." Hope said as she began to cough as she suddenly caught the scent of one of the foulest things she had ever smelled in her life. 'What the hell?"

"Major, report!" Dell said.

"Commander, there's a…. a…foul smell in the cabin…. its odd. Its disgusting! What the hell is that? Commander, do you read?"

"Foul smell?" Sawyer asked her.

"Its…OH MY GOD!" Hope called out. "NERV COMMAND, MAYDAY! UNIT 1 IS HOSTILE!".

"HOPE!" Sawyer yelled out as klaxons sounded. He looked at his screen and saw her harmonic shift was way off and her sync ratio was dropping like a rock. Her vitals became unstable.

"Hope, eject!" Sawyer ordered.

"Com…. Commander…I….I…can't…..ejection system….offline." She called out in pain as Sawyer looked to the monitor showing her squeezing her eyes shut and grimacing in pain.

"Eject yourself pilot!" Sawyer ordered. "Do it manually!"

"Sir, ejection systems are not responding!" Hope yelled out. "SAWYER!" She yelled out as her body tensed up. Her eyes bulged from her head and her body trembled violently as she had a look of pure fear on her face.

"HOPE!" Sawyer yelled out as he stood in the control room with his eyes wide. On the monitor, Hope called out in pain repeatedly

"I…can't….can't….breathe." Hope called out as she began to choke as her hands went to her throat and she squeezed her eyes shut. "He…help.".

"Sync has dropped to zero!" Fuyuki said. "Commander, oxygen level is zero! She's completely sealed off, Commander! She has no life-support! Commander, heart-rate is decreasing!"

"EMERGENCY EJECTION NOW!" Sawyer yelled out.

"Commander, all her ejection systems are offline!" Fuyuki called out. "Sir, Unit 1 has gone into complete shutdown…all systems offline!"

Sawyer looked back to the screen and then said. "EMERGENCY CREWS TO EVA HANGER! CANCEL PRE LAUNCH SEQUENCE! CODE A PRIORITY 1. FORCE EJECTS! REPEAT: FORCE EJECTS! CODE A. REPEAT CODE A!"

"Commander, all crews are on the scene!" Fuyuki called out as Sawyer ran out of the room and down the hall. "COMMANDER!"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Sawyer ran as fast as he could down the hall, and headed to a door that read "STAIRS.". He tore open the door to the staircase, and ran as fast as he could down the steps to the hanger deck. When he reached the hanger deck, he grabbed the door handle and bolted out of the door. He continued to run towards a large metal door where an armed guard sat at a booth.

"ID!"

"COMMANDER DELL!" Sawyer yelled out as he ran past the guard, holding up his badge. "OPEN THAT DOOR NOW!"

The guards opened the door and Sawyer ran as fast as he could through it and down the metal bridge. He ran up two flights of stairs to the maintenance bridge in Unit 1's gate. He stopped, breathing heavily and sweating where he saw that Hope's bioplug had just been forcefully ejected by a crew of five men.

"HOPE!" He yelled out as he breathed heavily with sweat running down his forehead. Sawyer ran over to the bioplug and grabbed the eject hatch.

"COMMANDER!" The Crew Chief called out.

"Damnit!" Sawyer yelled out as he yanked his hand away feeling searing, burning pain as he shook out his hand.. "Give me those pliers! NOW!" Sawyer yelled out as a maintenance man handed him a large pair of pliers that he fixed firmly onto the hatch's lock and clamped down on it. Twisting it and pulling on it, Sawyer released the lock and then watched as the hatch slid open.

Sawyer's eyes widened as looked in the hatch and saw Hope.

She was lying in the console chair, her eyes were shut, and she was not moving.

She wasn't breathing.

He looked at her and lightly reached down to stroke her cheek.

Sawyer's eyes flashed with sadness as he looked at her.

"HOPE!" He yelled out as he reached in with both hands and pulled her body out of the bioplug, setting it down on the maintenance bridge. "Oh no." Sawyer said as looked at her and cradled her in his arms. "Oh God, Hope." He said as he shut his eyes and crushed her against him. "I'm sorry." He whispered to her. "Forgive me. I'm sorry."

Then she breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. Sawyer opened his eyes as he felt her breathe in against him. He gently pulled her away from his body slightly and he smiled down at her, "Hope?" he asked her gently.

Hope began to breathe normally, scrunching her eyes shut as she whispered. "Sawyer…."

"Yes!" he told her with a smile as he watched her open her eyes and smile back at him. "Hope, are you okay?" he asked her as he lightly stroked her cheek.

Hope nodded at him with a smile. "I think so." She whispered. "I….feel really tired though and a little achy."

He held her closer as he gently moved his hand over the top of her head.

"Hope, thank God…." He whispered as he kissed her forehead.

"Hey there, Sawyer." She said with a smile as she reached up and lightly touched his cheek, placing her palm against his face. . "Oh God, I…. ugh…. I feel really bad."

"Are you okay?"

Hope nodded. "Yeah, uh…. no…I don't know…. I. …Just feel…. sick."

Sawyer lifted her into his arms and stood, holding her close to him as she laid her head against him and he carried her. He walked down the stairs and then the metal bridge, holding her in his arms. Her arms came around his neckand she smiled as he carried her out of the hanger. .

"Where are we going?" She asked as she closed her eyes and nestled her head against his chest. "Are you taking me home with you?"

Sawyer raised an eyebrow as he heard her, thinking to himself. _She's delirious. She's going to say strange things. Get a grip._ "No, Hope. I'm taking you to Dr. Ibuki to get checked out." He told her as he looked back at her.

"I'm okay, Sawyer. Really." Hope said with a smile. "Take me home with you." She whispered with a giggle. "Let's catch up.".

"Uh…let Dr. Ibuki make that decision on whether or not you are okay."

"Sawyer…. you still…feel that way…about me?" Hope asked.

"Yes." He told her as he looked down at her. "It was just work, Hope! I'm sorry I've pulled away from you so much. I had to get prepared. We had to prepare. This mission could happen at any time. We needed to be ready! I had to get you ready!"

"It's okay, Sawyer. I just wish you told me more. Sawyer, I…" Her eyes rolled back into her head as her eyelids fluttered and then she lost consciousness.

"Hope?" Sawyer's eyes widened and a look of panic crossed his face as he ran to the infirmary with her in his arms as fast as he could. "Hope!" He called out with wide eyes. "HOPE!"

Sawyer held her closer to him as he ran through the hall with her in his arms, running straight into the infirmary. "Dr. Ibuki!" Sawyer yelled out as he ran into the infirmary and laid her down onto a gurney.

"Get her in exam room A." Dr. Ibuki called out.

Sawyer could only watch as the emergency crew wheeled her away as she lay unconscious on the gurney.

Sawyer exhaled. He sat down in a chair, bowing his head with his face in his hands..


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Several hours later, she stirred as she placed her hand on her head. Opening her eyes, she stared at the ceiling and realized she was not home but somewhere else, _possibly, a hospital?_ She also felt she was wearing a strange gown_…hospital gown? What happened?_

She turned her head to the left and smiled as she saw him hold her hand and then lightly stroke her hair.

"Hope." He said to her with a smile. "How do you feel?"

"I feel sick." Hope said as she looked around. "What happened, Sawyer?" She asked as she looked at him.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"You carrying me through the hall." She said as she looked at him with a smile. "Did you?"

"Yes. What about before that?" Sawyer asked her.

"I was in Unit 1 and then…pain…excruciating pain going through me…. my head felt like it was spinning and I couldn't breathe…what happened? I've got such a headache." She said as she put her other hand on her forehead.

"Unit One went into rejection mode." He told her.

"Rejection mode?" She asked as she sat up and turned her body towards him. "Unit One rejected me as its pilot?"

"Yes." Sawyer told her. "We're going to try to get you back in the EVA as soon as you get cleared. We want to try and avoid this."

"Oh!" Hope growled as she sat up. " So all that matters right now is getting back me in the damned EVA?"

"No, Hope." Sawyer told her. "Its not."

"You have hardly spoken to me in over two weeks!" Hope told him. "…What happened, Sawyer?"

"What happened? Unit 1 went into rejection mode and I…"

"No!" Hope said as she looked at him and then asked gently. "What happened with us? I thought after you came back…. we'd pick up where we left off? What happened?"

Sawyer took a deep breath as he looked at her and said. "The mission is what happened. I needed to properly prepare for battle, I wanted you ready. I'm sorry, Hope. With a mission coming up, I didn't want…"

"…. To get emotionally involved?" She asked.

"No. That's not it. I am all ready emotionally involved. I didn't want to be caught off guard with our defenses.. I wanted everything to be set. I wanted you to have your defenses in place. I wanted you to be ready."

"Sawyer, you could have told me that." She said with a smile. "I would have understood."

"I still feel the same way, Hope." He told her with a smile. "I still care about you. I just I haven't been able to…"

"Its okay." She said with a smile. "We'll have that time."

Sawyer smiled at her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're the Commander of NERV. You have a huge responsibility. I just wanted to know why…. you were distant. I needed you." She whispered to him.

"Hope, the type of man I am…. when my job calls me to duty, I pour myself into it. This is why I haven't been too successful at relationships. That's the type of a guy I am. I have worked very hard to get this assignment. I want to stop SEELE with every fiber of my being! Hope, I want to make this work with us but I can't guarantee you anything. I can't tell you that this is going to be forever or not. I can tell you…that I am willing to try if you are. I want to make you happy, I want to make you…I want to make you feel amazing. Are you sure that you want to…try this?"

"Yes." She told him with a gentle smile. "I do."

"Hope, you know this mission will be dangerous. We could possibly face death."

"I've learned a thing or two about facing death in my lifetime." Hope told him. "You can't let the fear of death stop you from life. Until our mission, Sawyer, I know what I want. I want to live each day like it was new. My father taught me that." She said with a smile. "I want to enjoy you as much as I can before that mission occurs and if I lose my life, defending this world, it was my decision and I would been honored to do so but, Sawyer before this mission starts, there's something else I want too."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm very sure." She said to him.

"You're saying what I think your saying, aren't you?" he asked her as he looked into her face.

Hope smiled slightly as she blushed. "Yes, Sawyer. I am."

"Wow." He said as he gulped.

"Hey?" She asked with a smile. "First things first. Where's that kiss you promised me? Souke's not here you know, I'd doubt we could get interrupted so easily."

Sawyer smirked at her as he said with a chuckle. "Do you think we should? There are security cameras in here and I don't' want us to be the subject of gossip."

"Shut up and kiss me, Commander." She said with a very flirty smile, taking a hold of his shirt and moving closer to him.

He smirked back at her and moved closer to her.

"Hello, Major." Dr. Ibuki said as she pulled back the curtain, stepping through and then closed it again, looking down at her clipboard.

Quickly, Sawyer and Hope straightened up and pulled back from each other as they looked at one another and smirked as they both thought the same thing at the same time.

_Damnit!_

. "Well," Dr. Ibuki said as she looked at her clipboard. ", After that nine hour nap you took, it looks like you don't have any brain damage, your heart is fine, your lungs are fine. No exterior or internal wounds to be concerned over. You're fine, Major. You'll be discharged in a little while. I am going to advise rest tonight and rest tomorrow."

"What kind of rest?" Hope asked.

"Well preferably I'd like you to stay in bed." Dr. Ibuki told her.

"Oh, that's not so bad." She said with a smirk as she smiled at Sawyer who cleared his throat and put his hand behind his neck.

"No getting into EVA's or operating heavy machinery like the routine flight time that you like to log in everyday." Dr. Ibuki told her.

"Okay. I'll be good and stay at home or at least I won't do anything… strenuous." She said as she smirked at Sawyer.

"Also, try to avoid heavy exercising or exerting yourself physically, Major."

"Oh!" Hope said as she blushed looking at Sawyer. "Well, I wasn't thinking of running around or having sex or anything like that."

Sawyer raised his eyebrow as he heard her and turned red as he heard her. Hope meanwhile caught his look and winked at him with a smile, to which he raised his eyebrows.

"Good. Keep it that way." Dr. Ibuki told her.

"I'll try." She said with another smirk as she looked at Sawyer.

"Take two Tylenol tonight for your headache and by tomorrow you should be fine." Dr. Ibuki told her. "Commander Dell, I am placing Major Ikari on restricted duty for two days."

"Yes, Doctor." Sawyer told her.

"Are you feeling all right, Commander?" Dr. Ibuki asked. "You seem a little flushed."

"No." Sawyer said as he cleared his throat. "I'm fine, Doctor."

"Okay, I'll be back in a moment." Dr. Ibuki said as she pulled the curtain back, exited and then closed it once more.

"You've got some explaining to do!" Sawyer said with a smirk as he pointed at her.

"In all good time." Hope said with a smile as she reached for his finger and then moved her fingers into his hand, holding onto it. .

Sawyer smiled at her as he tried yet again to lean over but once again was interrupted by Dr. Ibuki pulling the curtain back.

"Here are your discharge orders, Major." Dr. Ibuki said as she handed her a slip of paper.

"Commander Dell, two days. She is to be off duty for two days."

"Understood, Doctor." Sawyer said as he glanced over at her.

"Great!" Hope said with a smile. "Can I get out of this bed now?"

"Sure." Dr. Ibuki told her. "You're uniform is over there. We had it cleaned and pressed while you were here."

"Thanks." Hope said with a smirk.

"Remember, what I told you. Two days, Major. Mandatory. Rest and relax. No flying jets under any circumstances."

"I understand, Doctor." Hope said with a smile as she looked over at Sawyer. "I think I can find a way to put two days to good use. Don't you think, Commander?"

"Oh, most certainly, Major." Sawyer said. "Yes, two days. I can think of several ways for relaxation, Major." He told her with a smile.

"Really now, Commander?" Hope asked. "Perhaps, you should explain this to me in detail."

"I would be very happy to." He said as he smiled at her.

"Very well. Feel better, Major." Dr. Ibuki said as she made a quick exit.

"Do you think she had a clue?" Hope asked.

"Nah." Sawyer said.

Sawyer smiled at Hope as he leaned closer to her and looked into her face, asking. "What exactly did you have in mind for the next two days?"

Hope leaned in to him with a smirk and whispered. "Whatever may come to mind, Commander."

Sawyer raised his eyebrow at her with another smirk and then said. "Major, there are several things going through my mind right about now."

"Several huh? You'll have to brief me on that, Commander." Hope said with a smile.

"We should go…" Sawyer said quickly as he stood up.

"Sure but first would you mind…if I get dressed?"

Sawyer snickered for a minute and then said "Certainly, Major."

As he exited the curtain, he looked back and smirked.

As she finished getting dressed, a wide smile crossed her lips as her eyes shined and despite the fact that she was injured in the EVA, she didn't feel all that bad about it.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

They came through the door, laughing, holding onto each other.

The evening had been a fun one. The night before they just relaxed at her apartment, ordering in, watching a movie with Souke.

Tonight was the fun night.

He had taken her out to dinner and then danced with her.

They had followed it with a boat ride through the canal and the whole time, he wanted to take her into his arms and kiss with everything he held back for weeks on end.

She looked amazing wearing a short red dress with matching red pumps that can only be described as scandalous while he played it cool with just a button down blue dress shirt and casual dark pants.

He wanted to wait though until they got back to her apartment where they could be alone to do anything that they wanted to do and he could kiss her as long as he wanted to.

He looked back into her face and couldn't stop staring. She couldn't stop smiling as she looked back at him and shut the door. Their arms were around each other and their bodies were close. She leaned up against the door as she met his gaze.

"So is he here?" Sawyer asked as he looked around the apartment.

"No." She said with a smile as she rubbed his chest. "He took out that girl from his class. He's been after her for months. She finally said yes to going out with him. They are both celebrating graduating from law school. Souke scored an A for the final. He's too busy right now. He'll be out for hours. We're all alone here."

"Hmmm." Sawyer said with a smirk as he drew her closer into his body. "Whatever shall we do, Major?"

"Whatever we want to, Commander." Hope answered as she looked directly into his eyes.

"You're beautiful." He told her as he smiled. "You are just so…. beautiful."

She blushed at the response and saw him leaning closer. "Come here, Sawyer." She whispered seductively to him.

All thoughts disappeared from her mind.

The failure to sync with Unit 1, her father's cancer, the impending mission was which inching closer by the day, and now the only thing that mattered…. was to be with him.

The mission could fail. She could die. He could die. The world could end.

She wanted to live in the moment and to hell with her rules and regulations.

She never felt this way before and she didn't want to let this moment slip away.

His lips were about to brush against hers as his hand rested lightly on her cheek. Her arms came around his neck…. and then….

"Hope? Is that you? Are you home?"

_Damnit, Souke!_ She thought.

_For Christ's sake, Souke_! Sawyer thought. _Don't you ever go out?_

"I thought you said he went out?' Sawyer whispered to her..

"I thought that too." Hope whispered back as she looked back at him and sighed as she lightly placed her palm against his cheek and smiled. "Let me find out what's going on. Something feels odd. I've felt that way all day, maybe that's why my sync failed. All though, Souke's not one to break a date."

"Okay, let's find out what's up and then after this, let's go to my place." He whispered to her as he kissed her cheek.

Hope smirked at him and then raised her eyebrow at him. "Deal." Then as she parted from him, she called out. . "Souke? Why are you home? Didn't you have a date?"

Sawyer saw Souke come down the hall with a cell phone in his palm and breathed in. "I did but, I've been trying to reach you for over two hours, Hope!" Souke said as he had a worried look on his face."I tried you on your cell but all I got was voice mail. You must have turned it off."

."Oh." Hope said as she studied her brother's face.

"Uh…hi, Sawyer." Souke said as he put his hand behind his neck. "Listen, guys, I'm sorry….to have...you know...interrupted...but…"

Hope caught the look immediately. _Something's wrong_. "Souke?" She asked as she studied his face seeing sadness on it. "Souke, what is it?"

"Yeah, Souke." Sawyer said as he crossed his arms with a scowl. "What is it?"

"Hope, Mom's on the phone." He said sadly. "We have to go home."

"What?" Hope asked as her eyes went wide.

"We…. have to go home." Souke said in a low voice as a tear came out of his eye and he held out the cell phone to her..

Hope's eyes widened. "Oh dear God." She said in a whisper as she ran to Souke, taking the cell phone from his palm and bringing it to her ear. "Mom?" Hope asked nervously.

"Hope?" Asuka's voice cracked. "How soon can you get here?"

"Mom, don't tell me…" Hope said as she felt her breathing quickening while she shook.

"What's wrong, Souke?" Sawyer asked as he looked at him.

"Our Dad, Sawyer.." Souke responded as he put his hands on his hips and looked towards his sister.

"Oh no." Sawyer said. "Souke, about before, I didn't mean to sound…"

"Its all right, Sawyer." Souke said. "I have interrupted you guys twice before." He managed a smile but then turned his attention to Hope focusing on her as he breathed in.

"Hope, you and Souke need to be here soon." Asuka told her daughter over the phone.

Hope nodded her head. "We'll go right now, Mom. We'll get in the car right now. Where's Reina?"

"She's on her way." Asuka told her.

"Mama, we'll leavenow."

"Okay." Asuka said to her. "I love you both." Asuka whispered.

"We love you too, Mom. We'll be there shortly." Hope said as she hung up the phone and looked towards her brother. "Get your stuff together. We've got to go."

"Gotcha." Souke said as he made his way to his room.

"Hope?" Sawyer asked.

"I have to go my parents' house." Hope said to him. "I won't be able to report to duty tomorrow, Commander. I'm sorry."

_Commander?_ Sawyer thought and then said quickly. "Of course not." Sawyer said to her. "Hope, it's all right."

"Not quite." Hope said as she walked away from him and went into her bedroom, she opened the closet door and looked through it taking out a few outfits and grabbing her suitcase from the bottom of the closest..

Sawyer followed her. "Hope, you don't have to…."

"What?" Hope asked as she spun around, and put the suitcase on the floor.. "I don't have to what? Perform the EVA test again? To hell with it! I have to leave tonight to get there by the morning. Duty be damned!" She said as she walked over to her bed and laid her clothes down on it.

"No, I know that. Wait, why are you driving? Flying would get you there quicker. You could fly there, Hope." Sawyer told her as he approached her. "Hope, I'll get you a chopper." Sawyer told her. "You can be there in one hour."

"Sawyer, you don't have to…"

"I want to." He said to her with a smile. "I'd like to go with you."

She turned to him saying. "Again, you don't have to, Sawyer."

"I want to, Hope." Sawyer told her. "I know about your father."

"How? I never told you that! Wait, of course…. my file. Its in there." Hope breathed in. "Of course you knew." She said angrily.

"No, Hope that's not how I knew!" Sawyer told her angrily. "I've worked with your mother! You're mother is my friend and my mentor! I've met your father! I think he's a very brave man! I respect him so much! I'd like to be there too." Sawyer told her. "It was because I work with your mother, Hope. Your mother trusts me. I've met your father on several occasions. He's a remarkable man."

"He's dying!" Hope yelledout as she looked at him. "Did you know that part?" Hope blurted as tears came out her eyes and she turned away from him. "He's dying, Sawyer!".

"I know." Sawyer told her as he walked over to her, standing behind her. "I want to be there for you." He said as he placed his hands on her arms, and kissed the back of the head. "Let me go with you."

"No." Hope said tearfully as she tried to hold herself together.

"Let me be your strength." He whispered to her gently as he shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around her. "Please, Hope, let me be there for you. Don't' shut me out."

"Sawyer…"

"Its okay." He told her in a gentle, low voice as he pressed his lips to her head and held them there. "It's okay I want to be strong for you. I want to be there for you."

Hope could feel the tears coming to her as she shut her eyes and breathed in, she put her hand over his arm.. "Okay, Sawyer." She whispered.

He smiled at her. "It's okay." He told her. "Don't feel as if you have to hold back your emotions from me. I understand and I'm here for you."

"Sawyer…" Hope tearfully said as she turned and clutched onto his shirt, crying onto his chest. "Its not right, Sawyer! It's not fair! Why? WHY?"

"I don't know why." Sawyer said as he shut his eyes and held her tight. "I just know…. you need me and I'm not letting you go without me."

Souke had finished packing his suitcase quickly. He took only a few things and then laid down the second to last thing he wanted to bring, a black suit in a garment bag. He stood in his room for a minute and then stared down at his bed.

He crouched down and reached underneath the bed, pulling out a black case. He stared at it for a moment and then picked it up, placing it on top of the bed. He saw his keys on the night table dresser and grabbed them, thumbing through them until he came across a small silver key which he used to unlock the case and then flip the locks on both sides.

He took a deep breath as he opened the case and stared at the object inside of it.

_I haven't touched this except to go down to the range and its never once been fired at anyone_. _Not even when I was a cop._

Then taking another deep breath, he removed the leather holster that was draped across it and put it in on, snapping it into place. Removing the object, he held it in his hand as he removed the clip from it and checked it, it was empty.. Then he took from the case a small box and began to load the clip.

After he finished, he loaded the clip and slid the action back. Holding the object in his hands, he took another breath as he placed the object into the shoulder holster. He stood up as he closed the case and then put that into the suitcase, closing it shut.

He then grabbed his jacket from the bed and put it on, buttoning it up and looking at himself back in the mirror.

_I am uneasy. Something doesn't feel right besides of what's going to happen._. He thought to himself. _I'll do what I have to do though if it comes down to it. My Dad would want me to protect my family and if neccessary, I will.. _

Souke grabbed the suitcase and the garment bag and walked out into the hall with it, passing by Hope's bedroom. He stopped for a moment and looked in the room..

Sawyer was holding Hope in his arms as she cried onto him. Souke breathed in and nodded his head. _Thank you, Sawyer_. He thought to himself.

Sawyer looked over to him and smiled. Souke smiled back and nodded as he made his way down the hall.

Sawyer pulled back from her as he said. "I'll call in the chopper now. We can be there in less then an hour."

"Sawyer…" Hope said.

"I'm here." He whispered to her with a smile.

"I'll be right back." She said as she took some clothes and walked over to the bathroom door. "I'm just...going to change."

He nodded at her with a smile and then pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed while she went into the bathroom to change..

"This is Commander Dell." He said firmly. "Major Ikari will not be reporting in tomorrow.. She is on extended family leave. I will alert you to her return. I am calling it a family leave. I need a chopper for transportation immediately. Have it ready on Helipad-A. I will fly it myself."

Hope came out of the bathroom wearing a orange short-sleeved shirt and jeans. She looked over at him and breathed in, as she heard the last part of his telephone conversation.. "You can pilot a chopper?"

Sawyer nodded. "You're not the only one who can fly, Hope. For me, it was a fringe benefit of the CIA. Just choppers though, and maybe small pipers. I can't fly a jet like you." He told her with a smirk. "Whenever you're ready, we'll get going."

She smiled as she looked to him with tears still in her eyes.

He smiled back at her

( More updates on the way including the end which is coming up….get ready for shockers and surprises. See ya soon! As always thanks to all of you reviewing and especially Nick2951. You rock!)


	25. Chapter 25

(Author's Note: Hey thanks to all of you once again….I hope you are enjoying this story, I am too. Some of you wrote to me with some great suggestions for further developments in the story and I have listened. One of the things I do whenever I write a scene is go back and look at spots that need to be filled in. One such suggestion is in the following chapter, a lot of you wanted to see how Shinji and Asuka reacted when he found out he was sick. Thank you Goofygirl you rock. Also big kudos to Nick2951 who I can say is Destiny of One's numero Uno reviewer. Nic, thank you so much for all of your kind words and encouragement. Check out his fanfiction too. Its great. I hope you have some Kleenex ready because I have to confess that I was in tears writing this chapter. Enjoy. Now onto Chapter 25! We're getting closer to the end so stick around for more updates.)

Chapter 25

Hope Ikari walked into her parents' bedroom in the home she had grown up in. Beside her, Sawyer stood with her, as he could feel her pain emanating from her while she looked at her father in his bed, sitting upright, wearing his blue pajamas Beside him were two monitors checking on his heartbeat and he was connected to an IV drip..

"Hi, Hope." Shinji said with a smile as he saw her..

"Hi, Daddy." Hope squeaked out as Sawyer reached for her hand and held it gently.

Behind them, Asuka caught site of the American holding onto the hand of her daughter and instant protective instincts kicked in but knowing that he was providing comfort to Hope she resisted the urge to act.

Asuka's main concern was lying in the bed directly in front of her and even with all of her power and strength; she couldn't prevent the inevitable from happening.

Hope walked forward releasing her hand from Sawyer's as she walked towards her father. He looked so tired, gaunt and pale but there was that smile on his face that she had always remembered and could easily warm her heart..

Hope watched as Shinji inched himself up in the bed and motioned for her to come and sit beside him, patting the mattress. "Come here, Honey and sit with me for a while."

"Daddy?" Hope asked as she sat down by her father's bedside and took his hand into her own. "Oh, Daddy…"

Shinji smiled at his daughter as he covered her hand with his own and breathed in. "I'm okay, Hope." He said to her gently. "I'm not scared y'know. I've done in life what I've needed to do and I feel good about it."

"Daddy…" Hope said as her voice trailed off.

"Hey," Shinji said in raspy whisper. "I've lived my life, Hope. I had three great kids. I had a wife who loved me and whom I loved with all of my heart. Hope, I'm very proud of you. Okay, so cancer cut my life short. That's okay. I'm happy, Hope. You've done so well and aspired to so much. You've made me very happy about the woman you've become. I can go knowing that."

"Please, don't talk like that, Daddy." Hope said as her tears began to fall. "It's not fair for you to leave us so soon."

"Honey," Shinji said to her gently. ", Everyone dies some time. The trick is to make life count. My life counted for a great deal and as long as you're alive, I'm alive. As long as Souke is here, I'm here. As long as Reina is here, I'll be there too. I'll be with you all of your life, Hope. I'm in your heart. Anytime you need me, I'll always be with you. I'm a part of you, Baby. I can never be gone as long as you're here."

"Daddy…." Hope said in a sob.

"Hope, remember this always. With all of your strength, you can do anything you need to do. You know what I'm talking about? Unit 1 knows that and you need to know that. Do you understand?" Shinji asked.

Hope nodded. "Yes, Dad."

"Never forget that, okay?" Shinji asked.

"I won't, Daddy." Hope said.

"Hope, I want you to know that its not that I never meant to tell you about Evangelion, its just that I didn't ever want to see you go through what I went through because of Evangelion."

"Daddy, it couldn't have been all that bad. You found Mom through the Evangelion. I was born because of it. Daddy, I will be Unit 1's pilot. I swear to you. I will defend the Earth just like you and Mama did."

"I know you will." Shinji told her. "Its like I told you, you have to believe with all of your strength that you are the pilot of Unit 1 and it is yours. You are a part of me, Hope. I was Unit 1's pilot and it accepted me without hesitation. The reason why it accepted me is because I accepted it. You need to do the same."

"Daddy, this isn't right." Hope said with tears in her eyes.

"I know, Baby." Shinji told her gently. "But I'm glad I got to say good bye to you. I'm glad I was able to tell you how much I love my family. I'm glad I can tell you that, Hope. I love you, Hope and I am so very proud of you."

"I…. love you, Daddy." Hope said as she sobbed while she held onto her father's hand.

Sawyer stood near the doorway as he watched Hope with her father. Asuka was watching with painful eyes as Souke held her hand and Reina cried against her.

"Sawyer?" Shinji asked.

"Yes, sir." Sawyer said.

"Do you know what to do?" He asked him.

Sawyer nodded as he said. "Yes, sir I do." Sawyer said as he saluted the man lying in the bed. "I promise you I will live up to my duty, sir."

"I know you will. I have faith in you, Sawyer" Shinji said to him as he returned the salute and looked back to the face of his daughter. "He's a good man." Shinji whispered to Hope with a smile. "I can see that you care for him a great deal."

"Daddy, he's my commander and uh…"

"Hope," Shinji said with a smirk as he leaned in and whispered to her. ", I know its not just a commander and major relationship. It's more then that. I'm so happy for you."

Hope's eyes widened as she looked back to her father, she couldn't help to chuckle at how perceptive he was. "I could never hide anything from you."

"No, you couldn't and you still can't." Shinji said to her with a grin. "Listen to me, hold nothing back, Hope." Shinji told her. "You're strength comes from love, remember that."

"I know, Dad." Hope said to him.

"Love is the source of your strength." Shinji whispered to her.

"I know, Daddy." Hope said to him as her tears fell.

"Isao would be happy for you right now." He told her. "I am very happy for you. You deserve to have a good man to love you, and I know that he does." Shinji whispered with a smile.

"Daddy, I can't believe you just said that! How do you know its like that?" Hope asked.

"Oh, I know." Shinji said with a chuckle. "If it isn't though, then it _should_ be like that."

"Daddy!" Hope exclaimed with a chuckle.

"I made you laugh didn't I?" he asked her.

Hope nodded as she smiled at him, clutching onto his hand. "You always have, Dad."

The rest of the Ikari family walked in and surrounded their father's bed. All of them tried to hold back tears knowing that this could possibly be the last time their father would be living.

Asuka especially had dreaded this moment from the first day in the doctor's office when staring at MRI results and X-Rays they had revealed an inoperable mass located in Shinji's pancreas.

Asuka had nearly broken down hearing the diagnosis and the prognosis.

Shinji turned to her and simply said. "We just have to make each day count, Asuka."

She couldn't believe that through all the treatments, the pain medications, the pain, the suffering and the doctors, that through it all his spirit remained intact. Asuka had not missed a single session with a doctor, a treatment session, a hospital stay or any test that they had required.

Shinji simply had asked her to be his strength when he needed her.

Then, at the office of the Japanese Prime Minister, a folder was given to her showing that Shinji's cancer was caused by the introduction of a topical agent that triggered it. Furthermore, SEELE admitted that they were the cause of it.

The day she heard the most devastating news that he had gotten this type of cancer, the worst of its kind, the one that had no cure and could not be removed, and knowing it was purposely given to him, filled her with unyielding fury.

Between Isao's death and now the impending death of her husband, Asuka was ready to kill.

Asuka, feeling every bit of rage and disgust, feeling every bit of hatred, wanted to find SEELE herself and destroy them. Instead, she turned that inward and used it as motivation for when SEELE would be destroyed.

She had never told Shinji the truth about why he had gotten sick. She couldn't. It would have destroyed him. He would have been in fear for the rest of his remaining days that Asuka would be next to die, or Souke, or Hope or Reina.

She decided it was best to keep that piece of information classified.

She in turn going through emotional upheaval had relied on him. Sometimes it was absolute hell to hold the truth back yet, he anger, which she couldn't hide and her sadness, which was evident, was written all over her face.

Shinji took another perspective.

When he saw her upset, Shinji simply shrugged and said. "Let's go to Europe for two weeks and have our second honeymoon."

They had done that.

A Two-week second honeymoon in Europe, followed by a renewing of vows in her home country of Germany, a stay in London and straight through Italy.

It had been an incredibly romantic, whirlwind of a trip. When they returned, Shinji had decided that every day of his life was going to be a happy one even when he had treatments or a doctor's visit and even when the pain was so bad that he could barely get out of bed.

Despite all of that, Shinji had never faltered, wavered or lost his confidence. Asuka was more emotional about it then he was and Asuka was not the type to give into emotion.

It used to anger her how he could be so completely at ease with this damned cancer. Then one day, she hit the wall as it made her so angry that she got into a screaming frenzy with him.

"How is it this goddamn cancer doesn't affect you? How is it you are not worried about dying? How can you take this attitude like nothing worries you or scares you when it scares the fucking shit out of me everyday of my life! YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THIS! You're going to die and you don't give a shit! How can you do this to me? How can you just act like this cancer means nothing to you?"

Breathing in, he simply took her into his arms and let her sob against his chest as his arms came around her. "It scares the ever loving shit out of me." Shinji answered her. "It terrifies me in a way you could never comprehend! It angers me that I will never see my children get married! I am furious that I can't walk my girls down the aisle! It infuriates me to know that I will never set eyes on my own grandchildren and it makes me more then livid knowing I can't grow old with you and sit on our front porch together while our grandchildren play on our front lawn! This fucking cancer gets my blood boiling! It has taken away years from me! It will rob me of memories that I deserve to have! That is how I feel about it deep inside, Asuka, that's what I conceal from you!"

"Shinji, I'm sorry." Asuka whispered as she cried against him.

"If I continue, Asuka, to let it get to me like that and know that I have this rage inside of me that just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger, I wont' be able to enjoy the moments I have left with you. Asuka, I won't be able to be with you when your very old and I won't be able to see grandchildren be born. I won't be able to see Hope, Souke, or Reina get married. You will be able to though. Asuka, after I'm gone, I need you to live for the both of us. I need you to do everything we said we were going to do and witness all that we dreamed of together. Until that time, when my time is up, I want to enjoy each and every day with you. I want to be happy. I don't want to be angry, resentful, have self-pity or feel rage. I just want to be happy. If I have to die, then I'm going to live a happy life until I do. I want you to be happy too. I want to make you happy. I want us to enjoy this time as much as we can. We don't know really how much time I have so let's make each day count like it was my last day on Earth."

"Shinji, I'll retire so I can be with you." Asuka said to him gently.

"No." Shinji told her gently. "You will do your job. You do it well. Asuka, no one's life is to stop because I'm dying! I don't want that! I want each day to count but you know, I don't want anyone's life to be changed because of me!"

"Shinji, you need me now."

"You've always been there through everything. This is no different, Asuka. The only difference is now I have a limited amount of time on Earth."

"Fucking SEELE did this to you!" Asuka said through tears in hysterics. "They did it, Shinji! It was them! They did it!"

"This could have happened for any reason, Asuka." Shinji told her, not registering what she just said. "We don't know for certain."

Realizing what she had just said a moment ago, she knew he was merely brushing it off but she closed her eyes, as she knew that it was the truth and it killed her.

"I…. I….can't imagine losing you." Asuka cried as his arms held her tight. "You…. are everything to me. You're my life, Shinji."

"Asuka, you need to accept that I am going to die."

"NO!" Asuka yelled out.

"Yes, Asuka." He whispered to her. "You need to say it. You need to repeat to yourself aloud: Shinji's going to die and I can't stop it."

"No!" Asuka yelled out again in a sob.

"Say it, Asuka."

"Never!" Asuka said angrily.

"SAY IT, ASUKA!" He yelled out as he pulled her from him and looked into her face, holding her by her upper arms. "IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, ASUKA! YOU NEED TO FACE THAT FACT! I AM GOING TO DIE, ASUKA! SAY IT! I WANT TO HEAR YOU SAY IT! SAY IT GODDAMNIT!"

The brave, three-star soldier, General Asuka Ikari, stared into the face of the man she loved. There was one fear she held in her heart, the fear of anything ever happening to her family.

As she looked into his face, she broke down, and she cried out hysterically. "SHINJI'S GOING TO DIE AND I **_CAN'T STOP IT!_**"

She broke down again and her cries were worse then before as she screamed out hysterically. "NO! NO! NO! NO!" She kept repeating it over and over again.

Shinji looked into her face as he watched while she sobbed, he quickly crushed her to him as he kissed the top of her head while she cried and held her tight.

"NO!" She cried out as she clutched onto him. "Its not fair! Its not fair!"

"Shh." He whispered to her gently, as he kissed the top of her head again and ran his head down her hair. "Its all right. Its okay. Its okay, Asuka."

"I don't want to lose you…." Asuka said painfully as she held onto him. "I can't. I can't live if your not here!"

"Shinji's here now, Asuka." He whispered to her. "Make this day count."

She heard his words, as she held him, and her sobs trailed off. Shinji always had the power to stop her tears and in instant, she stopped crying.

She slowly raised her head to look into his eyes and those eyes had captured her heart from the first moments she had seen him just as they did now.

She reached up and gently, laid her palm on his cheek as he moved his forehead against her own. Her hand traveled upward. Gently, running her hand through his hair she could see in his face what he wanted and needed.

It was a simple request but it was one that meant everything to him at that moment.

Taking a breath, she took his hand into his own and walked towards the bedroom with him following behind her. At their bedroom door, she turned to him and kissed him as if she hadn't seen him in a thousand years. She opened the door and led him inside, shutting the door behind them.

The room was dark; the blinds were still drawn after having never been opened from the morning. Small amounts of light shone through but it was enough to create a sense of ambience in an afternoon that was filled with passion and heat.

They were still locked into their deep kiss with another, holding onto each other as if this was his last day with her on Earth.

They removed each other's clothes quickly and then let their bodies come together as they held one another and connected to each other in mind, body and soul. .

She held onto him as if this was their very first time again and wanted to give all of herself to him. She poured all of her passion and love for him into that afternoon. She made him feel everything that she felt for him and made sure that he knew that he was her only one true love that she had ever had.

He, in turn, did the same. He gave all of himself to her. He held her against him the whole time, never letting her go and breathing in her scent as he moved with her. If ever there was a moment to describe how much he loved her, this was it. He told her in words, feeling, and through his gentle and tender touch. He gave to her everything he was.

In that afternoon they felt like they were young again and had fallen in love with each other all over again. The romance and passion that they had in that afternoon rose up from the depths of their souls and connected to each other's hearts. They simply enjoyed being with one another that afternoon.

Hours later, in the early evening, he was laying against the headboard with her in his arms. His hair looked like it was tousled in all different direction but the smile on his face was from ear to ear. He held her against his chest as he moved his fingers up and down her back.

The only thing that covered them was their comforter.

"It's been a while since we did it like _that_!" Shinji chuckled. "We haven't done it like _that_ in a long time!"

"I know." Asuka whispered as she cuddled against his chest with her eyes shut and smiled. "It was fantastic." She said as she giggled.

"I didn't think at our age, we could do it like _that_ anymore." He laughed. "I'm glad I was wrong."

Asuka giggled as she heard him.

"Asuka?" he asked.

"Mmmm?" She responded still in a euphoric, sleepy daze.

"I want to be happy everyday." He told her. "I want every day of my life to be a happy one even if I have to go to the doctor, or get a treatment or have bad pain…. I don't want to be one of those people that wallow in self-pity. I know you hate the cancer and I do too, but we have to be stronger then this. We have to keep our spirits alive and make each other happy everyday, just like today."

Asuka raised her head and sat up as she looked at him. She smiled at him as she leaned over and kissed him gently. When her lips parted from his, she whispered softly. "Okay."

Then, she kissed him again and his arms came around her. Their kiss became more heated and he turned her onto her back, finding that same passion and romance sweep them up once more.

It was then at that moment, Asuka was determined to protect her family, make her husband happy every day of his life and _never, ever let SEELE get away with this_.

From that day on, they let nothing stand in their way.

Every day was a happy one and even when Asuka had to leave to go to work, Shinji would remind her that it was okay.

She began to take his perspective of the cancer. _It was cancer, so what? Life doesn't stop because of it_ and that same ideology had filtered down to their children when they were told the awful news of their father's condition.

The original diagnosis said he had less then six months to live.

The original diagnosis had been two years ago and for two years, this family had made each day count.

Sometimes, for Asuka, it seemed like he wasn't dying.

He seemed fine.

_He was still as strong as he ever had been and maybe more so. He exercised regularly, ate well and sometimes it didn't seem like the cancer was there. Maybe those doctors are wrong._ Asuka began to think. _Maybe he changed it somehow. Maybe he beat it! Maybe he healed himself_!

Yet that was not to be and as the X-rays reminded her, the mass, all though growth was slowed with the treatments, was not shrinking in size. Shinji's doctor, Hsino Ushida, a highly recommended and board certified hematologist had tried new treatments to stop the cancer from growing or spreading.

For two years, the cancer was in a "holding pattern." It had not grown or spread but it was not shrinking either. To have surgery done on it would mean that half of his pancreas would have to come out and that was not an option.

Asuka was reminded of the painful reality when in the middle of the night, he sat upright in bed clutching his stomach, wrenching in pain while she held onto his hand and gave him shots of pain medication to ease the torment he was in.

She was also confronted by it when he had to be admitted to the hospital because of the pain he was in. She witnessed the excruciating agony he went through as he called out in pain from his hospital bed while she stayed with him, holding him, yelling at doctors to give him as much pain medication as possible to ease his torture.

Though he tried to ignore the reality that he did have this horrible pain and though his pain medication steadily increased, he would not let it beat him or his spirit.

He also made financial arrangements for his family knowing he never wanted Asuka to worry about money. He also wanted to make arrangements for his children and future generations.

Souke had only been a cop for a year before he decided he no longer wanted to be one and instead become a lawyer and really, as he put it, "lock up the bad guys for good."

Shinji had told Souke, aside from the grants he had received, that he would pay for all of law school.

He did. Souke graduated near the top of his class and Shinji had been alive to see it.

Asuka knew the inevitable would eventually come.

It was the painful reality that she faced everyday wondering if each day was to be his last.

Asuka knew the day would come that he would say good-bye but she didn't expect it…. _today_.

Earlier on in the day, after both had gotten out of bed and taken a shower, Shinji had changed into a pair of jeans and a sweater. He had decided that he would cook Asuka a special breakfast after having had a very pleasant morning with her earlier. .

Asuka was standing in the bedroom, putting on her uniform, getting ready to go to the base after breakfast.

After putting on her uniform, she heard a thud in the den and ran out of the bedroom as quickly as possible.

She found him on the floor of the den, gripping his stomach, wrenching in pain. She came over to him, holding him. "I'll call an ambulance."

"NO!" Shinji growled as he reached for her, grabbing onto her arm. "Get Ushida! Tell him to come here. I won't go to the hospital if this is it."

"Don't be stubborn!" Asuka growled. "The pain is bad I can see it! You need the hospital!"

"Fuck that!" Shinji told her as he sat up. "I won't go! Not if this is _it_ today! I won't die in a hospital!"

"You're not going to die today! You have to go to the hospital for pain control! Don't tell me you're going to die! Don't you say that to me, you fucking idiot!" Asuka growled out with pain on her face. "Don't even think it!"

"Asuka, " he said gently as he looked at her. ", call Ushida right now."

Asuka called Dr. Ushida who dropped everything and came to their house. After Dr. Ushida got him into bed and checked him out, he went to go talk with Asuka.

"Shinji knows it's going to be today and he's right." Ushida told her.

She listened as she heard the words of Dr. Ushida. She couldn't believe when he looked at her and said.

"General Ikari, I'm sorry. It's only a matter of hours now. I've given him enough to counter the pain. He will be comfortable. I'll stay here for the duration of it. It won't be much longer. I think you should call your children."

Asuka could only stare back at the doctor, frozen, her mouth hanging open, her eyes as wide as saucers, her body trembling and the only thing she managed to barely say was, "My…husband…is going to…he's…. he's…."

It was all she could say before her hands covered her mouth and tears fell from her eyes.

From their bedroom, Shinji could hear and see her reaction as he called out to her. "Asuka! Come in here."

Asuka immediately went to him as she sat down beside him.

He looked at her with a smile and said. "Be strong. I'm here. Call the kids. Let me say good-bye."

Asuka almost went to pieces but knowing that she had to be strong and that she had to get the kids together to see their father, she did what she needed to do.

She made him comfortable and sat with him while they waited for their children's arrival. She spent time lying against his chest with his arms around her, making him laugh, holding him tight.

She ordered a wonderful dinner for him from the finest restaurant in the town. She ordered all of his favorite things and served it to him on the good china and crystal and he ate happily joking. "Well, hell, I can eat anything I want now, can't I?"

Asuka laughed and said. "Yes, Idiot, you can."

She did everything and anything to make sure his last day was peaceful and good. Ushida made sure that the pain medication was strong but as Shinji requested. "Dr. Ushida, don't give me so much as to make me high as a kite."

Ushida gave him the right dosage to counter the pain but to also make him coherent.

All three of their children arrived at the exact same time.

Reina took an immediate overnight flight from Tokoyo-4.

Souke, Hope and Sawyer flew in by chopper, piloted by Sawyer himself.

Asuka knew this day would come.

She never expected though that that it would be today.

Watching him now with their children, she could see the love in his eyes. She knew he was hurting on the inside terribly but on the outside he projected a wide smile.

"I'm proud of all of you." Shinji said to his children. "You are all what I have always dreamed of. I never want you to stop reaching for your goals or making your lives full. I never want you to stop living because of death, I want you all to be happy."

Souke nodded his head at his father as he put a hand on Hope's shoulder. "I know, Dad."

"Hope, remember what I told you…. with all of your strength. Believe it!"

Hope nodded at her father. "Yes, Dad."

"Souke, take care of them for me, Son." Shinji said to his son gently. ", but don't stop taking care of yourself. I am so proud of you, Souke. I wish I could be at your graduating ceremony but you know, you did so well in law school. You graduated near the top. Well done, Son. I love you, Son. Become what you want to be, Souke. Live up to your dream. Be an amazing lawyer, Son. Make me proud."

Souke held back his tears as he nodded at his father. "I love you too, Dad and I promise that I will, Dad. I'll be the best prosecuter out there. I swear to you."

"Reina?"

Reina stepped foreword, wiping tears away from her eyes. She sat next to her older sister as her father reached for her hand. She looked at him sadly while her older brother and sister looked on.

"Reina, you're our youngest. Listen to me, Honey, music is your gift. Use it well. Remember how you said you wanted to go to New York? Go. Follow your dreams. Do whatever you want to do, even if it seems a little odd. Follow your heart." He told her gently.

"Okay, Dad." Reina said to him as she bent over to him and gently kissed his cheek. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Sweetheart." He told her softly as she smiled at her.

"Dad…." Souke said as he looked at him while he placed his hand on Hope's shoulder.

"You three," he said as he looked upon all of them. ", were the best children that a father could ever have. You have all made me proud. Do well in your lives. Live life to the fullest and never stop reaching for your dreams. Keep close with another. Be there for each other through everything. Take care of your mother for me. She's going to be stubborn and tell you she doesn't need anyone to take care of her but she does. Look after her please? Make sure she is never alone. Promise me that you will all do that?"

All three nodded simultaneously at him.

Shinji smiled at them and then he felt a pain come from within his body. He breathed in and scrunched his eyes shut. His hand moved to his lower abdomen. He couldn't hold back grimacing in pain. "ASUKA!" He called out in a pain stricken voice. "Asuka, come here!"

Asuka's eyes became wide and her face filled with fear as she made her way to him quickly. Hope stood up as her mother came over to Shinji and sat beside him, gently running her hand through his hair. "I'm here." Asuka whispered to him. "Shush. Here. Here's more." She said as she pressed a button on the IV. ",Is it better now? Did the pain stop?"

He waited a minute, nodding his head, and then smiled as he slowly opened his eyes. Looking to her, he focused his eyes on Asuka. "Asuka?"

Asuka had never let her emotions go around her children. She had never given way to her tears in front of anyone except with one person, her husband.

Now, with her whole family around her, the brave General, Asuka Ikari, had tears running down her cheeks as she stared into the face of the man she loved.

"My Asuka." He said gently as he looked at her and rested against the pillows behind his head. "You are my world, Asuka. " He whispered to her. "Be strong for all of them. Let them be your strength too."

Asuka nodded at her husband as she held onto his hand and shut her eyes.

"Asuka, come closer."

"Shinji…." She said as she opened her eyes slowly and looked at him, moving closer to him.

"Shh…." He whispered to her as he reached for her and gently pulled her close to him.

"I love you, Asuka."

"Shinji…?" Asuka asked as she let her tears fall. "Idiot! Baka Shinji! I love you so much!"

"Where you go, is where I'll always go." He whispered to her. "Asuka, I'll be with you every day in your heart. I may not be able to be with you in life but I'll always be with you in spirit. Asuka, I'll be waiting for you when it's your time many years from now. Until then, you have to be strong and you have to be the one to go on, Asuka."

Asuka shut her eyes and sobbed as she looked into his face. Opening her eyes slowly, she gently cupped his cheek with her palm, as a tear fell from her eye. "Idiot." She said gently. "I don't know if I can do this without you."

Shinji breathed in as he reached for her hand. "Promise me that you will."

"Shinji…." Asuka whispered.

"Asuka, I need to know that you'll promise me to be the best you've always been and to shine like you've always shined and to love with your whole heart all of your life. Asuka, promise this to me. Live for the both of us. Live well and long. Tell our grandchildren all the dumb things I ever did. Tell them the story of our lives. Leave nothing out. Tell them that their grandfather is always watching over them. Let our children know about who they are and about what we did. Promise me you'll tell them and promise me that you will go on."

Asuka looked into his face and nodded. "I promise, my love." She whispered to him, as she sniffled. . "I will."

Shinji smiled at her, as he said tearfully in a whisper. "Now, give your baka Shinji his last kiss from the love of his life and say good bye."

Asuka nodded as she moved closer to him, she placed both of her palms onto his cheeks, looking into his face as she whispered. "I love you with all of my heart and soul, Shinji Ikari. Good-bye."

"I love you, Asuka. My love. My wife. I'll see you again." He said with a smile as a tear came out of his eye.

Asuka shut her eyes. He did the same. Their lips met and she kissed him gently, tears came out of her eyes. She knew that kiss was to be their last and she took her time with it. As they kissed, she felt him hold onto her hand and then she felt his grip loosen.

As their lips parted, with both of their eyes still closed, she slowly opened her eyes and saw a smile cross upon Shinji's lips. His eyes were still closed as he rested his head back and exhaled his life breath of life peacefully and happily.

Asuka's eyes went wide as she felt his hand go limp and fall to the side. She looked at him with her mouth hanging open, no sound came out, tears fell down her cheeks and her body trembled.

She knew that his soul had slipped away from his body.

Their children all gasped as they knew what had happened.

She laid her head down on his chest and heard nothing.

She only said one thing, softly. "No." Turning her head, she buried her face onto his chest and cried out. "NO!"

Squeezing her eyes shut she sobbed painfully over the loss of her husband as she held onto his body and let out the loudest, most grief-stricken cry which just seemed to pour out of her with every fiber of her being.

As Asuka cried, her son came over to her, sitting beside her on the bed, placing his hand on her back.

"Mama?" he asked as he looked at her.

Gently, Souke pulled her away from his father's body. He turned her towards him and held her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her, letting her sob loudly and uncontrollably.

"Mom, its okay." Souke whispered tearfully to her as he rocked her back and forth gently. "Its okay, Mom."

"Shinji!" Asuka sobbed out hysterically riddled with grief. "Shinji, oh no! No! Not my idiot Shinji! No!"

Souke let his mother cry as much as she wanted to. He too felt his tears run down his cheeks as he held his mother. He shut his eyes. Reina who was wiping away her own tears came over to him.

She looked over at him, as her eyes never stopped flowing with tears. Souke looked up at her.

"Rei?" he asked her through a sob.

"Souke…." The girl squeaked out.

Souke saw her tear stained face. Her blue eyes were full of tears and her bangs from her red hair hung into her eyes. Souke reached over to her and drew her to him as he held both his mother and his youngest sister.

Hope, the oldest, came to her brother and stood behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck, putting her head against his. She let him cry against her, as she too let herself go and cried. .

Sawyer watched the family painfully as he leaned up against the doorframe. He had met Shinji Ikari only a few times but the first time he had met him he had said. "It's an honor to meet you, sir."

Shinji only smirked and said. "Thank you."

Sawyer Dell was not a member of the family but in some ways he felt as though he was. He had come to know and respect General Ikari a great deal. She trusted him despite the fact he was an American "gaijin" and had taken a chance in recommending the young CIA operative to be commander of NERV. He would even go so far as to call her his friend and mean it.

He had made sure that he would never let her down.

Then as he became the Commander of NERV he remembered that General Ikari met with him privately in her office and handed him a folder.

"I am giving you an enormous responsibility, Sawyer." Asuka had told him as she slid the folder across the desk. "If it comes to the fact that my daughter has to pilot the EVA, I want you to protect her."

Sawyer breathed in as he opened the file and read it. As he looked back to the General he said firmly. "I will protect her with my life. I swear to you, General."

Now, here he was in the home of General Ikari the day her husband died. He was seeing a side of her and of Hope he had never seen before.

He wanted to be here. He asked Hope if he could be here. It was for another reason though.

He had only known her less then a month yet, he felt like he knew her all of his life.

All he wanted to do right now was take Hope into his arms, hold her as close to him as possible and never let her go. He wanted to let her know that he could be everything to her if she'd let him. He wanted to let her cry onto him and hold onto him for as long as she needed to.

Sawyer knew what he was feeling, what he was experiencing was something he had only known once before in his life and he breathed in as he came to that realization.

He saw the way the family held onto one another. He could see how each of them were relying on each other.

_They are doing exactly what_ _Shinji had told them to do, they were each other's strength_, Sawyer thought as he leaned up against the doorframe.

He watched for a while until he quietly slipped out of the bedroom door leaving the family to grieve.

(Did that tear your heart out? I will tell you that when I finally finished editing this chapter and then gave it to my boyfriend to proof read he literally turned to me and said, "I cant believe you wrote something like this.' And he had tears in his eyes. I did too after I read the final draft for this chapter for the first time. While I wrote this song I had Tim McGraw's Live Like You Were Dyin' playing as well as Diamond Rio's One More Day and Josh Groban's You Raise Me Up. Those three songs inspired a lot of what transpired between Shinji and Asuka in the flashback sequences. A lot of the scenes in this chapter was inspired by my friend Theresa. Her father died of cancer too and a lot of what she told me abot how he talked to his kids before he died I used as a basis for when Shinji was about to die. Please don't hate me for making Shinji die.)


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

It was about two am as Hope opened up the sliding glass door and stepped outside. She breathed in the cool night air, looking up towards the moon. She was still wiping away tears in her eyes that never seemed to stop flowing and could smell the wonderful fragrances from her parents' flower garden.

"Daddy, I'll do it." She whispered. "I will for the hope of the world."

She closed her eyes and cried.

Her father's body had been taken away after Dr. Ushida pronounced him dead and had called the necessary people.

Now, all that remained was the funeral.

Her mother, an emotional wreck, was lying on the bed refusing to move from the spot where he had died. She had taken a Valium to calm herself down but her sobs filled the bedroom and every so often, Souke walked in to offer tea and support.

She couldn't believe so much had happened this week. At the point where she felt she could handle the giant EVA, the unthinkable happening. Rejection. Her sync rate dropped from 100 to 0 instantaneously.

The EVA all but tried to kill her to get her out of the bioplug, until she was forcefully ejected from the cockpit and saw Sawyer tear open the hatch as he pulled her from it and held her in his arms.

Then, that date with Sawyer.

On that date she felt her heart soaring from her body and as they walked in, about to kiss each other for the first time, and possibly go further then that, she got that phone call from her mother.

She had been able to tell him she loved him, hear him tell her he was proud of her and that he loved her too. Now he was gone. One of the most important men in her life and now, her father was no more.

She stood out on the deck for a while, shutting her eyes, letting tears escape from them as she wrapped a long sweater, her father's beige sweater, around her.

"Daddy." She whispered.

It was dark but as she opened her eyes and shifted her eyes to the left, she saw Sawyer. He was leaning on the railing of the deck, in the dark with his head bowed. Curious, she walked over to him and saw him raise his head and turn to look at her, then look back towards the sky.

"Why are you out here?" Hope asked as she stepped over to him.

"I just thought…. that you and your family wanted to be alone for a while." He said as he breathed in.

"Oh." Hope said as she drew the sweater she was wearing closer to her body. "Thank you for coming with me." Hope whispered as she looked at him.

"Your welcome." He whispered to her.

"I had hoped you'd come. After everything, I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here."

"Hope?" he asked as he straightened up and looked at her.

She turned to him and stared back into his face, she could something in his eyes and it was only for her. She breathed as she looked at him and walked back towards him.

Looking up at him, she moved closer to him and stepped closer into his body. Instinctively, his arms came around her and he held her against him, placing his head against her own.

"I'm here for you, Hope." He whispered to her.

"I know." She whispered back as her arms came around him and she shut her eyes, exhaling as she felt his warmth and his strength. "Sawyer, I'm going to do it. The EVA won't reject me next time. We will be successful in our mission, Sawyer. I have my father on my side, I can't go wrong."

As Sawyer held her, he felt so peaceful and so at ease. He closed his eyes and rocked with her on the back porch as the cool breeze from the mountains nearby swept over them.

Every time he looked at her all he wanted to do was protect her and care for her, _You mean so much to me. You're so strong, so beautiful, so kind-hearted and gentle. Its no wonder why I feel the way I do about you. I want to be with you and never leave you. If we're successful with our mission, I'll do that. I'll never leave you as long as I live._

Hope shut her eyes as he held her. She was so sad at that moment and the comfort he gave her eased her pain.

"He suffered for such a long time." Hope said as a tear came out of her eye. "His pain is over now."

"He'll always be with you." Sawyer told her.

"Sawyer, this week has been…. horrible. First with the rejection and then…. my father…."

"I know." He told her. "It will be all right, Hope. We're going to be fine."

Hope breathed out in frustration as she wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. "Its an odd feeling to know that the fate of the world rests in my hands."

"In our hands, Hope." Sawyer said. "I'm in it as much as you are and I'll admit that the thought of you going out there just when we…"

"I know." Hope told him with a smirk. "Sawyer, I wanted to spend the night with you tonight. You know that, don't you? If we hadn't had to come here, I wanted to be with you."

"I know that." He said to her as he held her.

"Stay with me tonight, Sawyer." She whispered to him. "I just want to be close to you…I just need you with me. I mean obviously we can't…do that…. here…. but, I just need you next to me."

"Okay." He whispered.

"Soon, we'll have to return to base." She said.

"Take the time to mourn your father then you can have perspective and it will be clear." Sawyer told her.

"Sawyer." Hope said painfully as she held him tighter.

Looking down at her, he placed his finger under her chin and stared into her eyes. Slowly, he bought his face down to hers and gently kissed her.

Hope's eyes closed as she felt his kiss and bought her arms around his neck. His kiss was so gentle and warm. It was tender and comforting. It made her feel like…. she needed him in her life.

They kissed for what seemed like hours out on the deck, it had been almost a full hour that they had kissed each other but it seemed like it was forever..

As he parted from her lips, he smiled slightly as he continued to hold her.

From the inside, Asuka stood at the kitchen window, wearing her long robe. She was looking out onto the deck, seeing Hope and Sawyer embrace. She took a deep breath as she watched them, then she smiled.

It wasn't a large smile but it was a small one, a sign of approval. She sighed, as she took her hot cup of tea and walked back to her bedroom.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

It was a bright, clear day. The grass was as green as ever and the sun shone brightly. The weather was perfect. It was warm but not humid or dry. A cool breeze swept across the cemetery and with it the wonderful fragrances of the wild flowers growing on the mountain.

Asuka, dressed in her full dress military uniform, complete with red sash around her waist and katana sword at her side, sat looking straight ahead. She raised her head and looked towards the west as she looked at the large mountain in the distance.

That mountain was one she owed her life to and at the same time, it was one of the scariest times of her life as well.

Way back when, Shinji had almost died from influenza on that very same mountain and if it hadn't been for a confession from the depths of her soul, he more then likely would have died then.

But he didn't.

He survived.

They came off of the mountain in love and happy and found their home in this valley. They married and had three children.

They had their highs and lows but mostly, they had a wonderful marriage.

Now he was gone.

She was alone.

She closed her eyes, as a tear fell from her eye and streamed down her cheek. Her son, Souke, wearing a black single-breasted suit with a black tie and white shirt, bought his arm around her and allowed her to lay her head on his shoulder. Souke shut his eyes and breathed in, exhaling slowly, his free hand reaching for his older sister's hand and she clasping it..

Hope was dressed in her full dress uniform too all though; she did not carry a katana sword or the red sash. She reached for a hand that lightly rested on her shoulder as she smiled as she looked up at him. "Sawyer." She said as she gazed at him.

Sawyer smiled back at her, he gently stroked her cheek..

Reina turned and laid her head on her older sister's right shoulder and Hope laid her head against her sister's as she let her cry on her.

Sawyer wore a black suit as well as he stood behind Hope with his hand on her shoulder the whole time. Reina wore a black dress and cried nearly the entire time.

Shinji, having at one time represented the island nation of Japan for piloting the EVA, was buried with full military honors.

The flag of Japan was draped over his coffin.

Six officers from the Japanese Air Force stood at attention in full dress uniform. There were three on both sides of the coffin with katana swords at their sides.

To the right, three soldiers from the United States military, Marines, stood in full dress blue uniforms each of them touting a rifle.

Hope held onto her mother's hand as they listened to the minister. After the minister concluded his speech, they watched as a familiar face, which all three children, and ironically, their mother, smiled at. In later years, their mother had grown to like this man even though when they were younger she used to call him "a dumb jock" and would refer to him "one of the Stooges."

Through it all, he had been a great friend to her husband so much so that he was the godfather of all three.

The man stepped to the front of the coffin as he placed his hand on it and took a deep breath.

He was a lot older now. His once dark hair was now graying and he now had a mustache. He wore a black suit as well and looked up at the sky for a moment, then he spoke saying.

"Shinji Ikari was my friend. He was one of my best friends. I loved him like a brother. He never had it easy. He lost a parent when he was very small and never gained an understanding with his own father until he was older. He was a man with many friends. He was a hero. He was one that would put his life on the line several times and do what was required of him. He never thought of himself as much of a hero but anyone who knew him would tell you he was." The man paused for a moment and then he continued. "He was a good husband, a loving father and one of the most remarkable individuals I've ever had the opportunity to meet in my life. He saved us all at one point and for that; this world owes him a debt of gratitude. I met him when I was a boy and the first day I met him, I punched him in the nose. He went down but then he got back up, just like he always did. He became a good friend of mine. His children are like my very own nephew and nieces. His wife, whom I never saw eye to eye with, I respect immensely." He took another breath as he wiped a tear from his eye and said, as he looked at Asuka.. "If there is one person in this world who could ever say that they lived life to the fullest, it was Shinji Ikari. I will miss him and I will remember him all of my life." The man hesitated for a minute as he bowed his head. He continued as a tear rolled out of his eye and he said. "I know he will be with us every day because we will always be able to feel his fire and spirit. He is never truly gone as long as we keep his memory alive. His life ended way too soon but his spirit will endure forever. Good-bye, Shinji. We'll all miss you."

He smiled at Asuka and the other three children and walked back to his seat, stopping off to stand before Asuka.

She looked up at him and couldn't help a tear from coming out of her eye. "Thank you, Touji." She whispered.

Touji Suzihara smiled at her, he nodded as he looked back at her and then went to go take his seat.

"Present arms!" The Marine called out.

The three Marines stepped forward and then cocked their rifles. They aimed towards the sky and fired. Once. Twice. Three times.

"Bonzai!" The Japanese soldiers called out as they drew their swords, crisscrossing with their counterpart on the other side.

Then, a Japanese military general stepped forward, along with two other officers and walked to the coffin. The two officers stood at opposite ends of the coffin and picked the flag. They began to fold it.

Hope, and Asuka stood at attention, snapping to a salute while tears came out of their eyes

The Japanese general stood at attention, saluting, fixing his eyes straight ahead as the other officers folded it.

The flag was presented to the Japanese general who in turn turned and walked towards Asuka holding the flag.

Asuka bought her hand down at her side and looked straight ahead allowing a tear to come down her pain stricken face.

"On behalf of the government of Japan, this flag is presented to you by the Emperor himself in honor of your husband's service to a loyal nation."

Asuka took the flag into her hands. She looked down and ran her hands over it, closing her eyes briefly and then placing it under her arm as she bought her hand back to a salute.

"Domo arigato." Asuka said in a hushed voice.

"General Ikari, ma'am, my condolences." The general said as he stood at attention and saluted her.

Asuka dropped her hand to the side and took a breath as she saw the coffin being lowered into the ground.

Asuka slowly walked to the edge of the grave.

Then she reached into her pocket and pulled a small object from it.. She held onto it for a while and then opened her hand staring down on it.

She clutched it in her palm with pain etched on her face. Souke stood up from his chair and walked over to her. He looked at her as his hair blew in the wind. Asuka looked back into the face of her son and he saw her tears.

Souke stepped over to her. Asuka turned and cried against him and he held her in his arms as he shut his eyes. At this point, Asuka didn't care about decorum or strength. She didn't care about her pride.

She let her tears fall and she sobbed.

Her husband was gone.

She could allow herself to grieve.

She only wanted one thing at that moment, she wanted one more day with Shinji.

Just one.

Right now, she was heartbroken.

She knew that to wish for one more day was impossible and she also knew that soon she would have to return to duty. She now wondered if she had the strength and the ability to carry out this mission. Right now she felt weak, vulnerable, torn in two and could barely think.

On the outside, people saw a grieving widow and a strong, fierce soldier.

On the inside, Asuka's heart was shattered and her pain was greater then any physical kind that she had ever experienced in her lifetime.

Hope walked over to her father's grave and stared down, tears streamed down her face as she shut her eyes. She felt strong hands on her arms and she looked over as she smiled

"Uncle Touji." She said in a whisper.

"Hey Cutie." Touji Suzihara told her with a smile as he gave her a hug.

"That was a beautiful eulogy you gave." She told him.

"I meant it." He said to her. "You're Dad was a great guy. He was one of my best friends. You guys are like my own."

Hope nodded. "I'm glad you're here, Uncle Touji."

Touji smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

Sawyer was looking around the area, he felt uneasy. Something was bothering him

Then, accompanied by several men in black suits and sunglasses with earpieces in their ears, a tall man with graying hair, also wearing black, walked up to General Ikari. With this same man, a very pretty, middle-aged woman also wearing black, smiled at her.

Sawyer's eyes widened as he saw him.

"Wow." Sawyer said under his breath. "He came here all the way from Washington?"

"General Ikari." He said as he walked over to her.

Asuka opened her eyes and saw the President of the United States. She looked up at Souke and smiled as she parted from her son and walked over to him..

The President gently smiled and said to her. "I am so sorry for your loss."

Asuka forced a smile. Her eyes though were clearly full of pain and grief. She stepped over to the man and nodded at him saying. "Thank you, Mr. President."

"It's never easy to lose someone you love." The President told her.

"No." She said in a hushed voice as a tear came out of her eye.. "It isn't."

"Asuka,." The woman said. ", if we can do anything at all, please let us know. We've donated some money of our own for pancreatic cancer research in the name of the Shinji Ikari. I still recall that day at the White House when I first met the two of you, you had called him an idiot and he just smiled at you."

Asuka smiled back. "Thank you, First…."

"Asuka, we're friends. Call me Mindy."

"Thank you, Mindy." Asuka said. "You are both welcome to come to my home. We are having a small service there for good friends and family. I would be honored if you attended."

"That would be lovely." The First Lady said with a smile.

"Yes." The President said. "Thank you for your invitation."

"Mr. President, you've always been diplomatic and forthright. I never cared much for Americans but having met you and Commander Dell…well, I like some Americans now." Asuka said with a smirk.

The President laughed,

Sawyer still felt uneasy as he looked around. Souke too had the same feeling. Souke walked away for a moment until he saw…. a man.

The man didn't look like one of the Secret Service agents or anybody that he knew or was associated with here.

He narrowed his eyes as he followed the man carefully.

The man with a graying beard wore a brown suit and had sunglasses on. Then he saw the man turn and produce what looked like…

_"… A knife?"_ Souke thought.

It was concealed behind his forearm and the man was walking towards someone.

It seemed like everything moved in slow motion as Souke's breathing quickened and he undid his jacket and reached inside. He watched while the man picked up speed and saw whom he was going towards.

_"…My mother?"_ Souke thought nervously as he gripped the object underneath his jacket..

Souke then watched as the man reared his hand back and his eyes widened.

Sawyer turned and saw the man coming towards Asuka as she talked with the President.

Hope saw it and her eyes widened.

Quickly, Sawyer ran towards Asuka, the President, the First Lady and Hope placing himself between them and the assailant with the knife... The assailant realizing he was discovered, tried to attack quickly.

"GUN!" One of the Secret Service agents yelled out.

A shot was fired, followed by a second shot.

Sawyer leaped on top of Asuka, the President, the First Lady and Hope shielding them with his own body.

Hope went down.

The man dropped the knife and called out as he fell to the ground.

Sawyer whipped around, brandishing his own weapon, pointing it at the assailant on the ground, he placed his hand on the man's neck. "He's dead." Sawyer said as he pulled his weapon back in its holster.

Sawyer looked and saw lying beside the now dead would be attacker was a four inch serrated blade. Sawyer huffed in anger and kicked the knife off to the side.

The secret service agents had their guns drawn and immediately, one of them standing beside Souke.

Souke stood breathing in and out, his eyes wide as a gun was in his hand smoking from just have been fired.

Sawyer looked back wide-eyed and then turned his attention back to the assailant. He bent down and pulled the man's collar back and there he scowled as he saw it.

"SEELE." He seethed. "Look at the mark." He told the agent. "That's how the operatives distinguish themselves as saviors of mankind." Sawyer pulled his weapon back and put the safety back on, sticking it in his jacket.

He turned and then saw Hope lying on the ground and immediately, went to her. "HOPE!" he cried out.

Asuka's eyes went wide as she heard him.

"I'm okay." Hope said as she stood up and found Sawyer's arms around her. "Mom?"

Asuka got to her feet and breathed out looking back at the dead assailant, kicking him hard in the side. "Trash!" she growled.

Hope came over to Asuka and held her saying. "Are you okay, Mom?"

Asuka nodded. "Yes."

Sawyer looked over at the Secret Service agents who were standing beside Souke.

Souke bought his gun back and turned the safety back on. He fell to his knees, his eyes were wide and he breathed heavily.

"Souke!" Hope yelled as she broke from her mother and ran to him with Reina following her.

"Are you all right, Mr. President?" Sawyer asked.

The President stood helping the First Lady up. "Yes, Commander Dell."

"He was going to kill me." Asuka breathed out. "How dare they!" Asuka's fists were clenched into fists. "Goddamned SEELE!" She seethed. "On the day of my husband's funeral. Bastards!"

"General, are you all right?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes, Sawyer." Asuka said as she regained her composure. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Sawyer said. "Thank Souke. He was the one who fired the gun."

"Souke, did?" Asuka asked as she looked over and saw him.

Hope ran to Souke, kneeling in front of him seeing his eyes wide and shaking.

"Souke?" Hope asked as she looked into his face.

"Souke, you okay?" Reina asked with wide eyes.

"Mom okay?" Souke asked.

"Yeah." Hope said. "Mom's okay. Everyone's okay, Souke! You saved them from SEELE, Souke! You saved everybody."

He nodded his head as he shut his eyes, then slowly opened them and looked back at her. "When I was a cop, Hope, I never fired my gun once.

"Souke, you saved Mom's life and possibly the President's too. That man was going to hurt her! "

"I know." He said. "That's why I don't feel guilty about it." Souke told her. "Hope, SEELE"s been trying to hurt our family for a very long time."

"What do you mean, Souke?" Hope asked.

"Hope, remember how I told you that the reason why I quit the police force was because I wanted to be a lawyer and put the bad guys away." He told her.

Hope nodded. "Yeah, I remember."

"That's only half of it." He said. "A lot of it has to do with SEELE."

"What do you mean, Souke?" She asked.

"Isao's death was not an accident." He told her. "I know because I was there the day they captured the SEELE operatives who sabotaged his plane. They admitted their guilt. They wouldn't give up names though and a short time later, they all developed food poisoning or something and were found dead in their cells. Remember, a short time later, I quit the force?"

Hope nodded. "Yeah."

"That was why." Souke told her.

"You knew, Souke?" Hope asked.

"Oh my God." Reina said with wide eyes.

"For years." He told her. "They also tried to hurt Dad too. I couldn't tell Mom or Dad the truth. I couldn't tell you either."

"Those son of a bitches." Hope said angrily. "They made Dad have cancer, didn't they?"

Souke nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh my God!" Reina said in a shocked voice.

"They'll pay for all of it, Souke." Hope whispered angrily. "Do you hear me? All of it!"

"Don't say anything." He told her as he reached for her arm. "I….I…shouldn't have told you that. I'm just…fed up. I just had a feeling something was not right and that's why I bought my gun with me when we came back here. Hope. Something Dad said to you. Hope, I don't know what's happening but I know your in the middle of it and so is Mom. Regardless of that, I'm your brother and I'll protect you all with my life. Now, you need to tell me how you are involved."

Hope hugged her brother and said to him. "C'mon, Souke. Let's go. I'll tell you later, underneath the tree, not here."

Souke nodded as he stood with Hope. The two of them walked back to their mother and Sawyer.

_SEELE, you'll pay for this_. Sawyer thought as he looked back at the shaken faces of Hope, Souke, Asuka and Reina.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"The assassin was not successful."

"General Ikari is not an easy target."

"We shouldn't worry about her. Her mission is doomed to failure."

From the oval conference table in a dark room, eleven people looked in the direction of the voice.

Footsteps sounded as a large, white haired man with a white mustache, wearing a United States Army uniform with three silver stars on each shoulder board, smirked. "You are all fools." He said as he smirked and shook his head. "We have nothing to fear." He told the room. "You may have failed in your botched assassination attempt of General Ikari but we succeeded in hitting her where it counted. We were able to successfully infiltrate the hospital where Shinji Ikari was receiving his cancer treatment and thereby, thanks to the good, world-renowned Dr. Ushida, giving Mr. Ikari a fair send-off in an appropriate timeframe. The best weapon is not necessarily physical. It can be mental and emotional. You mindless morons would be well to remember that."

"I still think having General Ikari dead is a better option!"

"Kill General Ikari! Kill General Ikari!" He mocked. "That is all you have talked about for years! Give up that damned dream of yours! It wont' happen. General Ikari is too protected." The man said. "However, now that her beloved Shinji has passed on I can almost guarantee you that this operation will be doomed to failure. General Ikari is an emotional wreck at the current timeframe. Between her anger of SEELE and her grief, I doubt she could command this mission successfully. Best of all she has doomed it with introducing the handsome Sawyer Dell to her virtuous, emotional basket case of a daughter. The two of them are so completely absorbed in getting into bed with each other, that they've lost sight of what's important."

"You seem to be too sure of yourself, General Harris." One of the people said

It is your conceit that caused you to lose control of the very operation you stated General Ikari would not be entrusted with!"

"General Ikari is not a problem! Neither is Hope Ikari! Hope Ikari is acting like a high school cheerleader with a crush on the quarterback. Her last test in the EVA failed. Unit 1 rejected her. I have been supplying the CIA false information about the location of our base. While they think it is in a certain location, they forget to look the other way. So, when the great General Ikari storms the very building and finds out there is no SEELE that is when we will unleash our weapon and cleanse humanity. We will gain control of Unit 1, merge it with our creation, set Instrumentality on its correct course and the world will be once again restored to perfection."

"When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is." An Eastern European woman said.

"Oh please." Harris stated. "How many people would have believed that I, General Nathaniel Harris of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, would be a member of SEELE? Let us not forget, it was my idea to give Shinji Ikari a long drawn out ending so to purposely distract General Ikari. Let us also not forget that to kill Isao Katsumoto and send their brave, little hope of the world into a straight jacket was my idea as well! How many people would have ever believed that I could manipulate a President so well? You owe everything to me!" Harris said as he looked around the room. "Your assassination attempt on General Ikari's life was sloppy! Of all things, you sent in an assassin with an affinity for a knife! You did it at the funeral of Shinji Ikari! That was incompetence above all else! Now, granted you shook them all up but still, you were sloppy! You sent an amateur in and her son, a former police officer, caught wind of it and capped him!"

"I thought you stated that Souke Ikari was stupid and naïve."

"To be an EVA pilot. However, he knew that his mother was in danger and reacted. Either way, you were sloppy! There will be no more assassination attempts. Now, we'll just let things play out."

"YOU ARE NOT THE LEADER OF THIS ORGANIZATION!" One of the members shouted.

"No, I'm not." He said. "However, this organization owes almost all of its success due to me! You would have never succeeded in your plans if I had not been the one to conduct Instrumentality! General Ikari's operation will fail…its really doomed to failure. We have the best weapons at our disposal and with our Third world friends, we have the resources as well.. You tried for years to eliminate the threats. First, you went after Gendo Ikari and you succeeded. Then, it was me who suggested Misato Katsuragi. So, we got her liquored up and we made it seem like she crashed her car after she retired. Why did you stop though? You didn't look at the future. It wasn't until I targeted Hope Ikari that you listened. Hope Ikari was always a candidate for the EVA in the event Shinji couldn't do it. So, first we decided to eliminate the love of her life and we had Isao Katsumoto's plane explode while she was able to see it for herself.. Only, you again were careless and hired the wrong people. Shortly after the accident, they were found and then interrogated. It was then they said everything. Luckily, no names were mentioned and we were able to, how shall I put it, plug up the leaks before they spilled into our plans.." Harris chuckled and continued to walk around the room as he spoke. "Then I gave you the best solution of all, target Shinji Ikari. Target the one true pilot for EVA Unit 1. Target the man who is the source of Asuka Ikari's strength and the heart of that family. Kill the one who stopped Instrumentality in the first place and make him suffer for his insolence! Now he is but a memory. Without him, that family is doomed. Without him, Asuka will fall to pieces. So that's what we did. An accidental bump in a supermarket and boom, Shinji was done for. So slowly and painfully Asuka's watched him deteriorate and we've seen the effects of his problematic health on her. As I told you, we didn't have to bother with an assassination attempt on General Ikari's life…the fact that her idiot Shinji is now dead…. is the best weapon we need to destroy her. Ikari will not be successful. She'll fail. Even if she does conduct the mission, her focus will be off. Her strike team will wander into our hands, we will unleash our weapon, she will be made to look incompetent and best of all, she will be blamed for the end of humanity. We will aspire to greatness and bring to the world to a new beginning where we will dictate the course of humanity."

"You are way too confident."

"Why shouldn't I be?" Harris asked. "This plan is flawless. I control the intelligence the US receives. I can undermine this whole operation. I just want to be there to see the look on brave General Ikari's face as her strike team walks straight into a trap! It will be a glorious day."

( I REALLY really hate SEELE. Okay, so you've found out Harris is a traitor. What do you think is going to happen next? Stay tuned….I've got more to come. See ya soon. As always, thanks to all of you for all of your support. Keep writing. I'm listening and if I use your suggestion, I'll credit you in the next update. Nic, thanks again for all your reviews, kind words and support. Let me know when your update is posted. PS. My site is going through a maintenance cycle right now its going to be down for a little while but stay tuned for special After Impact and Destiny of One sections. I think you'll like them. See ya on the next vid….oops, I meant fic. Peace. J..)


	29. Chapter 29

(Hey there, have you had enough of the tearjerkers after those chapters? Okay get ready for some "action" now. This scene has been edited for this website the complete uncut version will appear on my website. Enjoy and thanks again to everyone who has been reviewing especially Nick2951 and BigDave. Now here we go with Chapter 29. We're getting closer to the end so stay tuned….I hope you are enjoying the story. Talk to you soon.)

Chapter 29

A few days after the funeral, Souke had decided to remain at home for a while. Souke wasn't comfortable with leaving his mother and sister alone even though Asuka was a trained soldier and a lethal one at that.

None of that mattered now, Asuka's heart was broken and her mind was not focused. Grief overwhelmed her and the task of packing away Shinji's things was the equivalent of someone taking a knife and jabbing it into her heart. For bereavement, she was given an additional week to relax before returning to duty yet, the phone still rang and requested "updates" to which she would say, "when I'm ready!"

For the most part, she either was found lying on her bed or lying on the couch. The will to move and do everyday things was not within in her.

Souke knew she was vulnerable and so he stayed behind to make sure she was protected.

Reina stayed for a few days more and then returned back to school.

Hope knowing she had to return to duty was tied up in knots.

So much had happened.

Unit 1 had rejected her, her father was gone, she had learned hideous truths and now everything seemed so uncertain,

Then there was Sawyer.

Sawyer, whom she swore, she would not get involved with. Sawyer who she couldn't stop thinking about at night and who lived in her dreams and carried her away to places she had never known before. She had never felt this way towards anyone, never even Isao, and he was her fiancé at one time.

Her fear was losing.

Hope never knew how to handle defeat it wasn't in her character. She had been the type to get straight A's in school, followed by straight A's at the academy. She had pushed herself hard to gain her promotion to captain and had pushed herself even harder to become a major, despite having been on psychiatric evaluation, after the accident that took Isao's life. .

_How is it I could feel this way about Sawyer? He's my superior officer. Am I crazy for being this attracted to him? My father's last words were not to be afraid. I am afraid. I can't lose myself like this? Am I crazy for caring for him? Why have I jumped into ths so quickly? What the hell am I doing? I was ready to jump into bed with him a week ago! When the hell have I ever done that after barely knowing a guy? Never. There's only been one. Isao. What the hell is wrong with me? Did Sawyer know about my father? Did he know it was SEELE all along? Why did he lie? Did my mother know? I have to know. I can't keep this inside._

Hope felt like she had no control over anything. Her mind was tied up in questions, her emotions were in knots and she didn't feel like she knew the answers to anything.

As she walked into the apartment, she hadn't noticed that Sawyer had followed her in until she turned and saw him.

"You don't have to stay." She told him.

"I'd like to." He told her as he shut the door and took off his jacket.

"I appreciate you coming out with me when my father passed." Hope said to him as she looked at the wall. "You can go if you want.. You don't have to stay here. I want to be alone."

"I don't believe you. I'd like to stay with you. I want to." He said to her.

"My father just died for Christ's sake!" Hope growled. "I'm not in the mood!"

"I didn't mean it like that." He told her. "I just…I just want to stay with you that's all. Even if all I do is hold you all night, that's enough."

"Sawyer, why?" She asked as she turned to face him. "You are the Commander of NERV! You are my superior officer! You are privy to certain things, Sawyer! Did you know it? Did you know that SEELE murdered Isao? Did you know that SEELE caused my father's cancer and put my father through hell for years? Did you know it, Sawyer? DID YOU!"

Sawyer breathed in and stared into her face and knowing he could only say one thing, he said it. "Yes."

"Get out." Hope told him as she turned her back.

"It was classified!" Sawyer told her. "I couldn't tell…. I promised someone I wouldn't."

"Who did you make a promise to like that?" Hope asked. "Wait. I know whom. My mother, of course!" She looked at him with a scowl and her eyes narrowed as she spat out bitterly. "You lied to me, Sawyer. You and my mother have lied to me about everything!"

"That's a lie." He told her.

"It's a lie to lie about a lie?" Hope scoffed and said. "Yeah, I can see justification in that."

"You're mother wanted to protect you. I swore to protect you." He told her as he stared at her.

"Sawyer, don't look at me like that."

"Like how?" He asked her as he stared at her. "Like how I feel about you is that how?"

"Sawyer…no." Hope said as she turned away.

"Okay, Hope, you're right. I didn't tell you the truth about your father when I learned about it in Washington. I didn't tell you the truth about Isao either when I came back from Washington and part of me couldn't face you knowing that I knew this." He told her as he sighed and then continued. "I did it to protect you."

"Protect me?"

"I didn't want you to know that SEELE had done such heinous acts to your father and to you."

"You mean, you didn't want your only choice who could pilot the EVA to be a candidate for REJECTION, DON'T YOU?" She yelled.

"That was not an issue." Sawyer told her. "How did you find out about this? Who told you? Did your mother?"

"No. Souke told me. Souke's known it for years. It was one of the reasons why he didn't want to be a cop. He didn't want to keep secrets but he kept this one. He told me after he shot that guy at the funeral. Sawyer, you should have told me!"

"Of course!" Sawyer said as he slapped his forehead. "Of course it was Souke! Souke seems to know everything!"

"That's why he didn't want to be a cop anymore!" Hope yelled out. "Because of these awful truths and lies. He's concealed it from my mother, my father, my sister and me! He's only told Reina and me. I in turn have told him about the mission and about SEELE and about the EVA. I felt it was only fitting."

"That's going against orders, Hope!" Sawyer said firmly.

"Fuck it." Hope told him angrily. "My brother deserves to know the truth! He's the only one, aside from my father, who has ever told me the truth! You and my mother seemed to have been conspiring for quite some time! Unbelievable! I knew my mother was protective but I never thought she would ever go this far!"

Sawyer breathed in as he said. "You have to keep your focus, Hope. You can't let this distract you."

"Fuck my focus!" Hope growled out. "What are you worried about? Worried about another failed sync test? Worried about me having another breakdown? What the fuck do you care? How would you feel knowing your father was murdered and your fiancé was too?" Hope asked. "How would you feel if you were the reason why?"

"That's not the reason, Hope." Sawyer told her.

"What is, Sawyer? If I wasn't the reason, what is?"

"The reason is because there are paranoid, delusional maniacs running around called SEELE who want to destroy our world and they need to be eliminated. That is the reason." Sawyer told her. "I know I never told you the truth about your father or Isao and you know what, I wouldn't have told you. I want to protect you and keep you safe. I promised your mother I would. I will continue to do so."

"Good. Now get out." She said angrily.

"Hope, I just know that I am crazy about you." He said to her as he stared at her.

"Oh, Sawyer….don't." Hope said as she turned away. "You should leave. Go home, Sawyer."

"I don't want to leave you…_ever_." he told her.

"Sawyer!"

"Honestly, tell me you want me to go!" he said to her. "Go ahead. Look in my face and say it! I want to hear you say it."

"Sawyer, I…I'm not…"

"What?"

"It's just…"

"Is it because of Isao? Is it because of your father?"

She breathed in as she heard. Then she looked over at him and nodded. "Partly."

Sawyer took a deep breath and then said. "I know what it did to you when you lost Isao. I heard it all in Washington and all I can tell you, is I respect so much for what you endured."

"You knew, Sawyer?" She asked. "You knew what happened to me? Did you know that I broke down in the control room after I watched his plane crash into the ground on the monitor in front of me? Did you know that,right before he died, I heard him tell me he loved me? Did you know I went completely catatonic for seven weeks on end, wanting to die everyday because the pain was so much that I couldn't my life without him? Did you know the only person to pull me back was my brother? Then did you know that I was grounded from flying for six months while my mother had me on psychiatric evaluation? Did you know it nearly ruined my career and prevented me from becoming a major? Did you hear all of that, Sawyer? Did they air all of that in the meeting with my mother?"

"There was a very overzealous, obsessive man named General Harris who wants to undermine your mother and take over the operation. He did his best to discredit her and because he had access to government intelligence, he had your file and he said it all in that meeting but your mother stood up to him. He bought up your father's cancer. He tried his best to discredit her and your mother would not let that happen. She defended you. The President himself was at the meeting via videoconference, and he defended you! Yes, Hope, I know that it caused you to have a nervous breakdown and put you in a catatonic state for seven weeks. I know that Souke saved your life.."

"So you knew all along?" She asked.

"When I came back from Washington I knew it all." He said. "I swore to your mother, who is my mentor and a friend, I would keep you safe but I also never expected this ever. The night your father died when you asked me to spend the night with you and all I did was hold you, I knew I needed you. I knew I always wanted to protect you and keep you safe. I need you." He said to her as he came over to her and wrapped his strong arms around her holding her close to him.

"Sawyer…." She whispered as she shut her eyes.

"Its all right." He whispered to her "I know how much pain you feel. I know that you hurt so much. I know you're angry and frustrated. I know you feel I lied to you and in your eyes, I have. In mine, I did it to protect you. I did it because I care so much for you. Hope, let me ease your pain. Let me into your heart, Hope."

"Sawyer, everything is fucked up." She said as she breathed in trying to control her tears from falling, then she yelled out.. "SEELE killed my father and my fiancé! Isao was the first person I ever fell in love with. I met him when I first came onto the squadron. He really encouraged me to be a great pilot. He encouraged me to a better person. SEELE took him away from me! I always knew his plane crash was not an accident. I was never told it but I knew it! Faulty gas line? Faulty gas line, my ass, tampered gas line is more like it! Then, SEELE hurt my father. My father…didn't deserve it! My father sacrificed so much to give us everything. My father was in pain everyday. My mother watched him suffer every damned day! They made him suffer in excruciating pain for two years! My Dad fought this cancer with everything he had! He was originally given a prognosis of six months to a year! For two years, he fought it with everything he had! To know that any person purposely did that to him, I want to kill them. My Dad…. was like my best friend…he battled this damn cancer for two years, Sawyer! Two fucking years! It seems so unfair that he lost the battle and SEELE did that to him!"

"Hope, " Sawyer whispered to her. ", your father never let it beat him. SEELE killed his body but not his spirit."

Hope breathed in as she looked away. "You can leave now, Sawyer."

"Hope, do you feel guilty for feeling the way you do about me?" he asked her.

She nodded. "AT this moment? Yes! I'm better off being alone!"

"Hope, do you think that Isao would want that? Do you think he'd want you to be alone forever? Do you think your father would want that for you? I know you are furious with me right now but I want you to see it from where I stand. I had to do this. I couldn't tell you this. Hope, there is a reason why I feel the way I do about you and why I'm here with you now. There are reasons why people come into our lives, Hope. Some stay for a while to teach us a lesson or two. Some stay for a season, to make a difference in us and to make us stronger. Some people stay for a lifetime. The ones who stay for a lifetime are the ones to be with us forever and to remain with us to be our companions, our friends, sometimes our lovers and if we're lucky, our mates for life. Maybe Isao came into your life for a season but it was a season to teach you about life and about love. Your father stayed for a lifetime and gave to you everything he was. I could be more to you if you let me, maybe even someone you'd want to keep for life."

Hope couldn't hold back, she began to cry. She turned to him and buried her head on his chest.

"It just hurts so bad. Losing Isao tore my heart out and he was murdered, Sawyer! SEELE killed him! I wanted to be his wife. I wanted to grow old with him and have babies with him. When he was killed, it changed me forever. Losing my Dad is like torture. Seeing his face right before he died, smiling at me, telling me he was proud of me, and knowing he was in so much pain…. I am so angry! SEELE did that to him! They made him suffer for years! They tried to break him! I loved my Dad so much. Sawyer, I'm tired of losing people I love! I hate SEELE! It's not right! I'm tired of lies and deceit and conspiracies! I just want the truth!"

"I know." Sawyer said.

"I want to make SEELE pay for this! I have to! They will pay! Unit 1 will not reject me as its pilot next time. I will be successful. SEELE will be destroyed!"

"Hope, you are the strongest woman I've ever known. You are strong and confident and I know you can do it. I know you can get out there and pilot Unit 1 and do what you need to. For what you endured, you stood up and you fought hard. Hope, please, forgive me for what I've done. I did it to protect you, to keep you safe. I respect your mother and she only did to keep you from getting hurt. Hope, she did it for love. Look at it from her perspective and mine."

"Sawyer, these truths I've learned." She said to him. "How can I…"

"Hope. I know you can get through this. Forgive me for what I've done. I had to though. Regardless though, I have to tell you something, and it may make a difference or it may not but I'm telling you this, " Sawyer leaned close to her and whispered in her ear. "I love you."

"You…. love me?' Hope asked gently as she raised her head to gently gaze into his eyes.

"Yes." He told her. "I can't imagine myself without you."

"Sawyer…"

"Hope. I believe in you. You are capable of anything that's why I love you." He told her as he put both of his hands on her cheeks and gently bought his face closer to hers as his lips pressed against hers.

Hope breathed out as he parted his lips from her. Her eyes fluttered, then closed again as she allowed him to kiss her tenderly and sweetly, their arms came around each other and their kiss became deeper.

As she parted from him and she looked back into his face all of her anger was gone, as her arms wrapped around his waist..

"I love you, Sawyer." She said back

"Hope," he whispered to her as he kissed her again.

She looked into his face and smiled at him, saying gently. "Now that I know the truth. We'll beat SEELE together, Sawyer. I was so angry when I found out you lied…. but, I think I can understand. I don't like it but I can understand. Knowing how my mother is, I can see why she did it. If my Dad knew the truth, he'd be in fear for all of us. She couldn't do that to him or me. Oh God, this is so complicated. I can…. understand though. I'm not angry, Sawyer. I want to defeat SEELE and we'll do it."

He smiled at he and nodded. "Yes, we will. Together."

She smiled at him and she kissed him once more.As she looked at him, she felt his strong arms come aroundher..

Their eyes closed as he crushed her to him and they kissed one another deeply and passionately.

She found herself backed up against the wall while he was against her, both were breathing heavily, kissing one another deeply and running their hands all over each other.

"Make love to me, Sawyer." She breathed out.

They kissed each other with a wanton fervor as she bought her hands to his chest and slowly started to unbutton his shirt.

Hope finished unbuttoning his shirt as she moved her hands over his well-defined hairy chest and pushed his shirt down over his shoulders and let it fall on the floor behind him.

She moved her head back as he moved with her. She loved how strong he was. His body was cut so well and his muscles were large and well defined. She loved his chest, how firm it was and how strong. She never wanted to let him go.

Sawyer lifted her shirt up over her body and pulled it over her head. His hands went from her arms downward as his lips, moved all over her neck, throat and chest.

His lips joined hers again, as his hands unsnapped her bra and slowly took it off of her. He broke from their kiss as he felt her breasts pressed against his chest. He took a breath as he studied her moving his hands all along her chest and down her abdomen as he continued to kiss her while both of them breathed heavily.

She closed her eyes as he touched her and made her moan out happily. She reached for the back of his head and drew him back to her for another kiss.

Hope shut her eyes and moved her head back as Sawyer's lips passionately ate at her neck, then as he raised his head to look at her, he gave off a devilish smirk at he did what he did next.

He pulled her to him, kissed her deeply and picked her up, wrapping her legs around him still locked into a passionate kiss as he carried her into the bedroom.

They made their way to the bedroom never breaking their kiss from one another. Both of them were overwhelmed with desire for one another as they came into her bedroom.

Breathing heavily through a moan and their kiss, they fell onto her bed with one another in a heated passion. He was lying on top of her as she lay underneath him. Their hands explored each other all over while each other's lips and mouths gave each other a unique sensual pleasure that neither one of them had felt in such a long time.

The rest of their clothing came off quickly and then as both were breathing heavily in the darkness, their lips came together as they started to combine with one another.

Holding onto her, he moved foreword while his lips worked their subtle magic in the way of a kiss that made her moan as he moved and felt her body respond in kind.

"Ummm…ah…. gah…. Sawyer…" Hope moaned out as she found a remarkable pleasurable from him she hadn't known in so long.

She felt him become one with her. At first it hurt her, like it was almost the first time again, but shortly after the pain disappeared and she called out loudly as she felt the pleasure and passion go throughout her

Sawyer took his time with her. He knew that she hadn't been with a man in a very long time and he wanted to do this right. He wanted to satisfy her in every way possible so that she would be screaming his name as loud as her lungs would let her.

He knew she needed to feel the heat of passion again and he was only too glad to oblige.

He bought himself over her, holding himself up with his arms as he looked down upon her. Slowly, he bought his lips down to hers and kissed her. He kissed her in a tender, romantic way that spelled out what she meant to him.

. She moved her head back and moaned out loudly, missing the sensation of being with a man again. Her palms traveled up his strong arms and over his back that was covered in a clear sheen of perspiration..

As she moaned repeatedly, her lips found their way onto his neck and chest and she explored him thoroughly.

She delighted in finding his earlobe and sucking on it gently while he moved with her and called out in moans and grunts

She felt a lot of her knowledge about pleasing a man in bed come back to her as she continually called out in excitement. .

He continued to move with her, sweat with her, kiss her and hold her as he hands explored her body in order to give the ultimate satisfaction he wanted to give her. .

Their hearts and bodies combined in the manner of spontaneous combustion as they became wild and uncontrollable with one another. She let him do whatever he wanted to do to her and he in turn was only too happy to allow her to do the same in kind.

Hours later, after both of them were drenched in each other's perspiration did they finally rest.

Hope was lying underneath him, he was across her, and his body heaved as did hers as her arms were around him lightly tracing her fingers down his back.

"I was right about you." Sawyer said as he raised his head and looked at her. "You are red-hot in bed."

Hope laughed as she looked at him. "Well, of course you thought that!"

"Its true though!" Sawyer said as he chuckled.

"You are a very odd man." She said as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"I love you." He whispered to her as he kissed her again.

"Mmm…. I love you too…Sawyer…." Hope said happily as he started kissing her neck gently. "…. do you want to… start up again?"

"Nah, woman. Three times all ready? You'll kill me." He told her with a smile.

"Oh really." Hope smirked as her lips found their way against his and her hands started to glide down his back, grabbing his firm, naked bottom and moved further down to underneath him.

"On second thought, " Sawyer said through their kiss. ", what better way to die!"

Hope laughed at him as he went back to kissing her.

Moments later, they were joined in passion once more, totally enjoying the moment and totally feeling their hearts bathe in complete euphoria.

( You guessed it I had to squeeze out some of the "lemon" for this site but the uncut will be available on my site. Actually the writing in the uncut could not be carried over into the edited version. This scene was totally reworked. The uncut is written quite differently. See ya later. Enjoy!)


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Lying with him in the dark of her bedroom, Hope's eyes opened and she looked upon the sleeping, naked man beside her.

She gently reached over to him and tucked the hair behind his ear as she reached for his hand and gently held it.

"You've changed me." She whispered to him. _My life is whole now because of you, Sawyer. I can do anything now. It's odd. My father died a week ago. In the wake of that, your love is my strength and I will do what I need to do._

Sawyer's eyes opened slowly to meet hers and smiled as he breathed out.

She breathed in as she felt arms come around her and draw her up against his chest.

Shefelt safe in his embrace and felt him kiss her lips gently.

_Last night had been amazing. _

_It had been way too long since I did that last…I had almost forgotten how amazing it could be._

"Good morning." He whispered to her as he continued to kiss her neck and her shoulder.

"Mmm… Good morning to you too." She said with her eyes still closed with a smile across her lips as he felt his nuzzling and then something else.

"Oh!" She exclaimed as stared into his face. "Well, in that case…." Her arms wrapped around him as did his as they kissed deeply and passionately.

Sawyer turned her over onto her back as his arms came underneath her shoulders and their kiss became fueled with red-hot passion for each other.

"Sawyer…." She moaned as her hands ran up and down his broad back.

"Forever." He whispered to her as he continued and watched her move underneath him taking in every glance of her body and letting his hands and lips wander her as they enjoyed this pleasurable morning.

"I love you, Sawyer." She loved looking into those deep blue eyes; they had always danced for her but now more so then ever. Those eyes had captured her from day one. He was the cocky American who she thought was so cute.

Her mother would have a cow knowing that he was an American. Yet, it seemed that when he came with her, the day her father died, the family just seemed to accept him. Even her mother, who professed that all Americans were "gaijin" seemed to be at ease around him and considered him a friend too.

_What was it they all knew before I did? _

Now being with him, feeling the strength of his body and the way she was set on fire by his gentle touch, she couldn't have imagined that this would be what she would be doing with the Commander of NERV.

She couldn't deny it though.

Her heart was open again and free again. She was feeling love again and he was the one who gave this to her. He had been by her side from day one, never taking his watchful eyes off of her. Even when she had allowed him to "get to know her better" he had been the perfect gentlemen in a game of mini golf that set it all into motion. He made her laugh and she had fun with him Even though she could see in his eyes that he wanted to be closer to her a thousand times before that day.

Now it was like that.

He was hers and she was his. _Was it to be this way?_ She didn't know for certain but she knew that she had never felt so much joy or elation before.

Isao had taught her how to love and for that she was grateful to him.

The love she had now was truly unlike anything she had ever experienced and as he breathed out, laying over her, her arms came around him as she held him against her.

"You make me so alive." She whispered to him. "I never thought I could feel this way again. After everything, my father and all that I know, I'm happy when I'm with you."

Sawyer simply raised his head to stare into her eyes as his lips gently brushed against hers. Her arm came up and her hand rested on the back of his neck as she drew him to her. They kissed passionately and deeply, spending the rest of the morning with one another knowing only ecstasy for the entire duration that they were together.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

_A gun_

_It would be easy._

_Simple._

_Effective._

_Clean._

_A bit of a mess, but so what? _

_Quick._

_No time to think._

_Just pull the trigger and its over. I'm done. _

_So easy_

Those were her thoughts as she opened up a wood case that sat on her dresser and removed the article inside of it. She looked back at herself in the mirror.

She was dressed in her full dress uniform complete with medals, red sash around her waist, and her sword at her side. She picked up the white gloves on her dresser and put them on, and then reached for her officer's cap, placing it on her head and making sure her uniform was up to par.

She looked like the picture of the perfect soldier. Her make-up was flawless. For her age, she still looked young, in great shape and strong. Her hair was still red, all though she wouldn't admit to using a bit of hair dye every now and again to keep the gray away. She was a raving beauty with a body that shaped her very well despite having given birth to three children.

She was every bit the capable commander, lethal soldier and dedicated patriot.

People saw her as unstoppable, unyielding, respected and they admired her for it.

She stared at the medals on her chest.

Medal of Valor, Expert Marksmen, EVA Pilot Unit 2, Good Conduct Medal, Purple Heart, Medal of Honor, Commander's Honor.

Then she looked at her dresser and saw the awards she had won.

"COLONEL ASUKA SORYU LANGELY IKARI

FIRST PLACE

NATIONAL WAR GAMES TOURAMENT, 2043"

"MAJOR ASUKA SORYU LANGELY IKARI

GRAND CHAMPION

BATTLE SIMULATION EXERCISE, 2035"

"LT. COLONEL ASUKA SORYU LANGELY IKARI

GRAND CHAMPION

WORLD BATTLE MECHA COMPETITION, 2038."

"IN HONOR OF EXCELLENCE & SUPERIOR LEADERSHIP, THIS PLAQUE GIVEN TO BGR. GENERAL ASUKA LANGELY SORYU IKARI ON THE 20TH DAY OF APRIL, 2051."

"BY ORDER OF THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN, THE RANK OF MAJOR GENERAL IS PROUDLY GIVEN TO BDG GEN. ASUKA LANGELY SORYU IKARI FOR OUSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND ON THIS DAY THE 18TH OF JUNE 2052."

Then there was one, which she was most proud of and it wasn't presented by the military or by any formal organization.

But it was the one that meant the most to her out of them all.

It was a paper mache soldier, painted with a black uniform, holding out a sword, painted red hair and a cap on it, and done very poorly but a lot of effort went into it.

It was set on a wood block where there was a bronze plaque on it that read.

"TO THE BEST MOTHER AND WIFE ON HER 30TH BIRTHDAY

LOVE HOPE, SOUKE, REINA & SHINJI."

She gently touched it and smiled. She remembered the day she had received it and the children, all happy with smiling faces, screaming out.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!"

When Asuka first saw it, she thought, _That is the most ugly thing I have ever seen in my life._

"We all made it for you."

But upon hearing that, she smiled widely and then thought. _Its ugly but they spent hours making this, I love it. _

Then she watched as Shinji came up to her with another box and opened it.

Her eyes nearly were full of tears as she saw them. Taking them out of the box, he put them on her neck and smiled as he said. "A string of pearls is not as beautiful as you are, its you who make them shine."

The kids all screamed out happily. "Happy birthday!"

Then Shinji gave her a quick birthday kiss as he smiled at her.

_Shinji._

_I miss him so much._

She took another breath as she walked over to her bed and stared at the article in her hand.

_It's so hard to make this decision._

_The mission would fail._

_The world could end._

_Hope._

_Souke._

_Reina._

_Shinji._

_I want to be with Shinji. _

_No, I can't._

_I can't._

_There's too much at stake._

_I can't do this. _

_I don't want to live. _

_I have to. _

_I promised I would._

_I don't want to but if I do it I'll break that promise._

_Would he be angry?_

_Yes but, he'd forgive me eventually…wouldn't he? _

She stared down at the gun in her hand as she sat down on her bed. She held it and breathed in and out as a tear came out of her eye. It was late in the afternoon as she looked at the clock.

_Souke's probably on his way to Kyoto by now. _

_Report back to the base by Wednesday. Bereavement time is over._

_I can't do this. _

_I'll pass it to someone else._

_I'll quit._

_I can't do this anymore._

_I don't want to live._

_This gun is the ceremonial pistol given the day an officer becomes a General. Misato pinned my first star on me and tied the red sash around my waist. She saluted me. I saluted back. _

_"Congratulations, General Ikari."_

_I was so proud. They gave me the gun in its wood case. It's beautiful. Silver with white trim. This is the type of weapon fitting a general with its single star on the grip. Shinji stood up and applauded, cheering as loud as anyone. The kids shouted their happiness too. It was such a great day._

_A week ago was the worst day of my life._

_My love is gone. My husband: father of my children, my lover, and my best friend. _

_How could it be?_

_Why?_

_Why couldn't they have killed me instead?_

_He never did anything wrong!_

_He just…. did his duty._

_Did what he needed to._

_Why did do they do that?_

_This pistol could end my life._

_Free me._

_No more obligations._

_No more duty and honor._

_Nothing._

_Death._

_Escape._

_Free to be with him again._

She took a breath as she picked up the bullet that sat beside her on the bed and stared at it.

One bullet.

_At close range it would kill me instantly._

_No pain._

_A shot._

_Then death._

_Over._

_Done._

_Finished._

_It's too much this pain._

_I can't live with it._

_I'm empty._

_Alone._

_Barren._

_Heartbroken._

_I can't find my strength or my will._

_I feel like I am just an empty shell._

_My children will hate me for this._

_I don't care._

_I was used to being hated at one time._

_I want to be selfish._

_Take care of me and no one else!_

_I should._

_I want this._

_Its okay._

_Justified._

_The mission may fail. _

_I don't care._

_Hope may fail._

_No she won't, too strong._

_She knows what to do._

_I can't do this!_

She clutched the bullet and made her hand into a fist, shaking it angrily. She shut her eyes as a tear came out and slid down her cheek falling onto her lap.

Get it over with.

_Do it._

_Do it all ready._

_You're a coward._

_You admit it._

_You don't want to be lonely anymore._

_You know that._

_Fuck your pride._

_Fuck your strength._

_To hell with what people will think_

_Do this for yourself._

_My children._

_I love my children. _

_I can't do this to them_

_To hell with it! _

_They'll be okay._

_They have each other._

_They are strong._

_I'm sorry. _

_I love you all but I have to do this. _

_I miss your Dad so much and I want to be with him. _

She took a breath as she took the bullet and opened the chamber of the pistol, loading the gun and then sliding the action back as she heard it click into place.

Staring down at the gun once more, she had another thought.

_Don't do this._

_You promised you would live for both him and you._

_I promised to do all the things we always counted on doing._

_Retiring in Germany together._

_Watch our children get married_

_Watching our grandchildren play on the front lawn._

_Travel all over._

_We promised each other that._

_I have to do it._

_NO! I don't want to live alone for the rest of my life._

_That's it._

_I'm done._

She held the pistol in her hand and slowly bought it up against her head against her left temple. She closed her eyes and tried to relax.

_It'll be easy._

_Just pull the trigger._

_Pull it._

_Pull it, damn you!_

_Do it!_

_DO IT!_

"Asuka!"

Her eyes opened and she gasped.

"Shinji!" She said in a shocked voice as her eyes widened while she shook.

He was looking back at her with an angry face, glaring at her.

"What are you doing, Asuka…"

_It's only your imagination!_ She said to herself as she squeezed her eyes shut and breathed out.

_Ignore it._

_Do it!_

_Do it all ready!_

Then she heard what was really said. "…Ma! Ma! Ma, do you hear me? **Mom, what are you doing**?"

_He's not there! It's not him! He's dead! He's not here! Ignore it! Pull the trigger, Coward!_

"MA! MA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT ARE YOU DOING, MA?"

She breathed in, shaking.

"PUT THE GUN DOWN NOW, MA!"

She opened her eyes slowly and looked back.

"Souke…" She said in a hushed voice.

_It wasn't Shinji but it could have been._

"I SAID," He yelled out. "PUT THE GUN DOWN, MOM!"

He had the same angry look on his face that Shinji would get.

_Right now for all intensive purposes, it was as if Shinji was there_. She thought to herself. _He looks just like him. It could very well be him. Oh my God, he scared the shit out of me. He looked just like a younger version of Shinji and his voice is identical to his father's._

"Ma, please…. put…the gun…. down." He said as he stood in the doorway and looked at her nervously.

"I thought you left to go home?" Asuka said in a shaky voice.

"I did. I came back." He told her. "I had a feeling something wasn't right and that I needed to come back here."

"Go out the door, Souke." Asuka told him. "Go right now. Walk out the door, Souke. Leave me alone."

"No, Ma."

"DO AS I SAY!" Asuka roared.

"No, Ma." He said firmly as he walked into the room.

"I'll pull this trigger! So help me! I will, Souke! I'll do it!" Asuka said.

"No, Ma, you won't." He told her as he stared into her eyes. "You wouldn't do that with your son standing in front of you. Put the gun down now, Ma. I can stop you, Ma. Don't make me."

"Go out the door, Souke." Asuka said.

"No." He said firmly. "Ma, don't do this." Souke told her gently.. "I know you're hurting. I know you miss Dad but Dad wouldn't want this for you! You promised him to live! Did you forget that, Ma? You'd be breaking your promise and he would never forgive you for it. Don't be selfish, Ma. Let me help you. Give me the gun, Ma."

"No!" Asuka seethed through clenched teeth. "Get out, Souke!"

"Give it to me right now!" He growled.

"Souke, go now." Asuka told him.

"Okay, Ma." Souke said as he looked at her angrily and reached inside of his jacket.. "Check this out!"

"Souke, what…"

Pulling his gun out of his holster underneath his jacket, he slid the action back and put it flush against his left temple. "Happy now, Ma?"

"What are you doing?" Asuka asked angrily. "Why are you carrying a gun? Why are you doing that, Souke?"

"Why did I have a gun, Ma? To protect you! Now, I'm telling you, Ma, if you do it, I'll do it!" Souke said to her angrily.

"Souke!" Asuka growled. "Stop it!"

"Isn't the way it's always been in our family, Ma?" Souke asked in anger. "Where you go, I go. If you go, I GO, MA!"

"Knock it off, Souke!" Asuka growled.

"No, Ma. If you're going to take the coward's way out, so will I. I'm your son. I'm just like you, right? Everyone says I look like Dad but when it comes down to it, I'm just like you, Ma! So why not be just like Mom, right?" Souke asked angrily. "Why not do what General Asuka is gonna do? If you pull that trigger, Ma, so…will…. I!"

"You're bluffing." Asuka said angrily. "I'll do it, Souke! I don't care!"

"You don't care? Bullshit, Ma! I'd like to see you do it, General! Go ahead, Ma!" He barked out. "Pull the trigger. Go ahead and pull the trigger, Ma, and if you do that, then you'd kill me too."

"Souke…." Asuka said as a tear came out of her eye.

"Three generations of Langley Soryu all killing themselves. Wow, what a family legacy." Souke mocked.

Asuka breathed in as she looked at him, her bottom lip shook as her eyes welled up with tears. "How do you know about that?" She growled. "I never told you that!"

"Let's just say I know." Souke said. "Are you following in your mother's footsteps, Ma? Are you gonna be like her? Are you turn me into the way you used to be before you met Dad? It's a good thing I'm going to kill myself then. I'd rather be dead then having to live with the memory of you firing a bullet into your brain!"

"Souke…. you…. little…." Asuka growled through tears.

"Well, Ma what are you waiting for? Let's get it over with! Pull the trigger, Ma." Souke growled. "End my life! How about this, Ma? How about I pull my trigger first? Would you like that, Ma? Huh? Would you? Do you want to see your son's head blown off? Do you?"

"Don't you get snappish with me!" Asuka growled.

"Snappish?" Souke scoffed. "Ma, what does it matter? You're gonna do it, right? So, why not I go first and then you can follow, okay? I'm telling you, Ma, if you go, I will go, Ma. I swear to you!"

Asuka and Souke stared at each other both of them not moving. Souke noticed that her hand with the gun was starting to shake and her eyes were welling up with tears.

"Ma…. don't." He said to her gently.

"Souke…" She said as she tried to hold back her sobs.

"Don't."

Asuka stared at him and then slowly bought the gun down and put the safety back on.. Souke kept the gun at his head as he watched her.

She slid the chamber open and took the bullet out. Then she held her hand out to him with the pistol lying in her palm.

Souke pulled his gun away and went over to her, taking the gun from her hand and placing it on the table.

"Ma, why?" He asked her in a whisper.

He put his safety back on his pistol and placed it next to her gun. He stared at her and then sat beside her on the bed, Asuka's head was bowed.

"Are you going to tell anyone about this?" Asuka asked.

"That depends, Mom." Souke told her.

"On what?" She asked.

"On whether or not, you ever try anything like this again." He told her angrily as he looked at her. Then, he calmed himself down and spoke gently to her. "Mom, you can talk to me. Let me help you, Mom. Mama, please talk to me."

Asuka looked at her son and he saw a tear come out of her eye. Without her saying a word, Souke knew in an instant what it was.

"You miss Dad."

Asuka nodded her head as she looked at him. "So much."

"Mama, Dad wouldn't want you to do this. Sure, Mom, you could end your pain with one pull of that trigger but my pain and Hope's pain and Reina's pain would be so much. Don't you love us, Mama? Why would you do that to us? Mama, your mother killed herself, didn't she?"

Asuka looked away as he said it. She shut her eyes and her fists clenched. "Your father told you, didn't he?"

"Yes." Souke said. "He told me that a long time ago."

"Why the hell did he do that for?" Asuka asked angrily. "Idiot! Baka Shinji! Why?"

"I'll tell you why, Ma, because there's something you don't know about me." Souke said as he breathed in. "When I was fifteen, scrawny, not sure of myself, all the kids at school picked on me. Mama, you don't know this but I took out your gun one day and almost shot myself."

"You did what?" Asuka asked with surprise.

"Dad came home early from work and I was in my room crying. I had your pistol. You left the case unlocked and I knew how to load it. So I did and then I looked at it and kept thinking, it would be so easy to do it. I didn't feel like I was worth anything, Mom. I felt alone and angry. I felt scared and unsure. My best friend was Hope and that first year she went away to the academy, I missed her so much. Reina and me we didn't have much in common as kids. I loved my little sister but she couldn't run around with me or do the things I wanted to. None of the kids at school liked me. I felt lonely."

"Souke, why didn't you ever say anything to us?" Asuka asked.

Souke smiled at her and said. "Then, I saw Dad. Dad came in my room because he heard crying from my room and he saw me with the gun. Dad yelled at me at first and took the gun away. Then he sat down next to me and he talked to me. Dad told me that things could be bad but there's always a way to make them better. He said that things always come together in a way to make sense, Mama. I said that my life was horrible and I didn't want to be lonely. Then he said, imagine what it would do to us all if you did something like that?"

"What did he tell you?" Asuka asked.

Souke held her hand and then said. "He said to me he was going to tell me something he shouldn't about you. He said when you were small; about seven or eight, you had just gotten word that you were going to do something great. You couldn't wait to tell your mother and you ran into the house all happy and excited. Then you went into a room and saw your mother had hung herself."

Asuka's eyes widened as she looked away, taking a deep breath and then closing her eyes as she fought back tears.

"Dad told me that after you saw that, it changed you. You became cold and unfeeling. You were selfish and egotistical. You were cruel. You had a wall around you and you shut people out. You shut out Dad for a long time. He told me that your defenses were how you used to boast about being the best and how you didn't need anyone…. but, you did. Dad broke through your walls, Mom, and he made you feel love, happiness and safety "

"Yes, he did." Asuka whispered as she looked back at Souke. "He did that and more."

"Mama," Souke told her softly. "Dad told me that every person matters in this world and that there is someone who loves that person. He said, that right now things are bad but they will get better. Then Dad came over to me and took the pistol away. He put it back in your case and he locked it. Then Dad said, c'mon, Souke, let's go outside and work on the house for a bit. I didn't want to but Dad said that was my punishment but it wasn't really. Dad showed me what to do and how to fix stuff.. Dad spent the whole afternoon with me, just talking to me about what it is to be a man, and what it takes to survive in this world. Dad said to me, that someday someone would see me, the real me, and that will be the person whom I'd want to be with forever. Dad said to me, why not when you feel lonely come with me for a while and we'll work together or do something fun. I did that, Mom. Do you remember when I was a teenager and I used to go with Dad to work during the summer and stuff?'

Asuka nodded. "Yeah. You grew a lot during that time and became stronger."

"I know." Souke told her. "You remember what happened after that?."

"You met your best friend Shoni. Then he introduced you to Literu and you had your first kiss with her and went to the prom with her, and then became Mr. Popularity in college. I remember, Souke."

"Yeah." Souke said with a smile. " Dad encouraged me to be more. You know after that, I felt so much better. I felt like I could do anything and when I felt like I had more, I got more, Mama. I did that. If I had done what I was going to do, Mama, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't have done all of those things. I wouldn't have become a cop, and then decided to be a lawyer. I wouldn't have graduated at the top and I wouldn't be here with you now. What I'm getting at is, Dad made so much sense and he said that if anything ever happened to me so many people would be empty without me in their lives. Mama, if you did something like you were going to do, we would all be so empty without you. We need you as much as you need us. Dad made me see clear that day. Now, Dad is gone and you're hiding inside of yourself again. No one can get through to you or you won't let them. Mama, don't do that. Mama, I would think from seeing your own mother kill herself that you would never want to do that to your own children."

Asuka breathed in and shut her eyes as she heard her son. She put her hand over her mouth, and squeezed her eyes shut. She began to sob and tried to stop herself from crying but she thought to herself. _He's right. He's so right._

"Mama, you have so much to live for now." Souke told her as he smiled. "Dad told you he wanted you to live long and well. He wouldn't want you to kill yourself so you could be with him."

Asuka continued to cry and Souke felt his own tears as he watched her. .

"Let it go, Mama. Let it all come out."

Asuka sobbed loudly as she raised her head. "Souke…. I'm so weak!" She admitted as she turned her head away.

"No, you aren't." Souke told her gently. "You're just missing your husband and its okay to feel that way, Ma."

"I miss him so goddamned much, Souke! I think…. I hear him sometimes. I can still feel him here." Asuka said painfully. "I can smell him at night. It hurts so much. It hurts more then you could ever imagine."

"I miss him too, Mama." Souke said to her. "I know what my father wanted for me though and I won't let him down. As his wife, you shouldn't either. More so, Mama, you have a duty to your country. Duty and honor is what you believe. Its what you've always taught us. Its what I believe too. You are in charge of a major operation and you can't fail. Mom, if you had killed yourself today then, all of that would have vanished and possibly all of the Earth. Mama, you can grieve. No one says that you can't. No one says that you can't miss Dad. You can. You're allowed to. You're supposed to but you can't leave us. Too many people need you, Mom. Too many people respect you and admire you. You are Major General Asuka Ikari and you need to remember that. If you were to do this today, SEELE would have won and Dad, Isao and everyone who's suffered because of those bastards would have died in vain."

"You seem to know everything, don't you?" She asked with a smile.

"I've known for a while, Ma. I never told you or Dad but when I discovered that Isao was killed and SEELE operatives were arrested. The truth was concealed and all of us were warned never to talk about it. I quit that day. I didn't want to have to keep hiding things and lie. Also, yeah, I did want to be a lawyer. It was always in the back of my mind but being a cop was like…. cool. I realized though being a lawyer meant more to me."

"I'm sorry I never told you." Asuka said tearfully. "I wanted to protect all of you. I never told your Dad the truth about his cancer. I knew if he knew SEELE did that to him, he would always worry about all of you. I couldn't do that to him."

"I've known that too for a long time, Ma and I've kept the secret for the exact same reason." He told her.

"When did you get so wise?" She asked her son tearfully as she smiled at him.

"I was taught by the best." He told her gently. "You and Dad gave me so much and you still do. Mama, this family needs you. You can't leave us. You have to do what you promised our father you would do. Remember? You promised him. Have you ever broken a promise to Dad?"

"No." Asuka said in a whisper. "Never."

"Mama, don't start now." He told her. "Dad asked you to be strong for all of us but Dad asked us to be strong for you too and to look after you, and make sure you know you are never alone. You aren't alone. We are here for you, Mama and we love you."

Asuka looked back at her son and sobbed loudly. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried.

"Mama, fight back." He whispered. "Find your strength, Mama. Look deep inside of yourself and it will be there. Let us give it you. Let us be your strength."

Then a phrase came into Asuka's mind and she hadn't remembered where or when she heard it. _"…what mankind has thrown out of balance will be balanced by the destiny of one…."_

She looked back into his face and he smiled at her. She smiled at him as a tear came out of her eye and she lightly touched his cheek. "You look like so much like your father." She told him gently. "Souke, I miss him so. I feel so empty inside. I feel so alone. Your Dad meant the world to me, Souke. Without him, I only feel like I'm half alive."

"That's why you need to remember him and keep the promise you made him close to your heart." Souke told her. "Mama, Dad wants you to aspire to great things. Dad doesn't want you to be alone or hurt. Dad wants you to be happy. Dad needs you to be the best you've always been, shine like you've always shined and love with your whole heart."

Asuka cried again as she recognized the dying words of her husband come from her son's mouth and Souke held her against him once more.

"Mama, its okay." He told her. "I'll stay here with you and you can cry on me. That's okay. I'll be your strength now, Mama. I'll take care of you, just like I promised my father I would do."

(Okay that's it for now…we're only a couple of chapters away from the end. I hope you are enjoying the story. I'm having a ball writing it. See ya on the next update. Peace.)


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

It was a week later.

A fighter jet streaked across the sky going as fast as the wind could carry it. It turned upward into the bright blue sky and did several corkscrews through the clouds before leveling out and flying at a nominal speed.

The only sounds besides the roar of a turbine engine were that of the pilot screaming out happily. "BOOYAH! MY GOD, THAT'S THE BEST!"

"OKAY, HOPE, THAT'S ENOUGH!' The passenger of the fighter jet said from the rear of the pilot as he adjusted his helmet and looked out of the window.

The pilot chuckled as she said through the radio in her helmet. "What's the matter, Sawyer? Haven't you ever been to the amusement park before?"

"Plenty of times…its just…HOPE!"

The jet again turned on its side and flew upward screaming up at a high speed before leveling out and coasting across the sky.

"Hope, c'mon now…enough."

"This is the best feeling in the world!" Hope said happily. "This is the best way to celebrate a sync rate of 100 percent for seven days in a row! This feels awesome! Not a single issue, Sawyer. I did those tests to the letter!"

"Yes, you did." Sawyer said, as he felt queasy.

"Unit One synced with me perfectly! Perfectly! All of those tests went without a hitch! I feel so natural in it! Sawyer…. Sawyer, are you getting sick? Don't throw up in my plane, Sawyer. Don't you Americans have something that's nicknamed the Vomit Comet? How can this be bugging you at all?"

"I know all about the Vomit Comet." Sawyer said to her. "I vomited in it."

Hope chuckled as she asked. "Sawyer, I thought you said you flew too?"

"Helicopters, Cessna's, and yes the occasional jet too. Not like this, Hope!" Sawyer told her. "This is borderline insanity!"

"This?" Hope asked with a laugh. "Sawyer, I'm just doing basic evasive combat techniques! They teach you the first day you go up in the air! This is Fighter Pilot 101! Corkscrew, roll, half roll that type of thing!"

"Well, can you stop now?"

"Someone's got a weak stomach." Hope teased.

"Okay, I admit it. I've got a weak stomach."

Hope chucked as she said. "My Super Secret Agent Man has a weak stomach? Surprising. Okay, I'll fly straight. It wont' be any fun though."

"The past hour has been like being strapped down on an insane roller coaster from Hell!" Sawyer told her.

"Okay, Okay." Hope said with a chuckle. "I get the hint. Next time, don't' ask me to go flying again."

"Don't worry! I won't!" Sawyer told her.

"Hey, look out there." She said as she peered out of her window. "That's the real reason I like to fly. You can see the whole world from the sky."

Sawyer looked out the window and saw what she meant. Down below he could see the island nation of Japan and he smiled as he looked around. "Its great."

"Flying is like the best thing in the world." Hope said with a smile. "You know my Dad wasn't as nervous as you were the first time I took him up and I did some wacky stuff! My Dad went flying with me a lot more times after the first time. He loved it. He was so proud of me when I graduated from the academy and got my wings. Souke on the other hand threw up. Reina didn't want to do it. And Mom? Mom is even crazier then me when she's in the cockpit. Mom has flown with me and I've flown with Mom. You want to talk about one crazy flier? Fly with General Asuka sometime. It's quite a trip!."

"Your Dad was also an experienced EVA pilot. I doubt after training in an EVA, and then piloting one, that anything could scare him."

"Oh he loved every single minute of it." Hope said with a smile. "Did you ever do it, Sawyer?" Hope asked.

"What?"

"Well, you're Commander of NERV and you supervised the training of a new EVA pilot. So, did you ever…pilot an EVA yourself?"

Sawyer smirked and nodded. "Yeah for a while in the CIA. The Americans were trying to rebuild their EVA series before General Ikari and the new President shut it down. I'll tell you that blowhard Harris was not too happy about that. Harris kept maintaining that the EVA series was the best defense against anymore angel attacks but the President believed that there didn't need to be any more angel attacks as long as SEELE was caught and arrested."

"You know, my mother really respects your President and for years she used to say all Americans are _gaijin dumpkopfs_. She really hated Americans let me tell you. I guess you and the President changed her mind a little. How did you meet General Asuka anyway? You never did tell me that."

"Well one day, I was in Washington at this meeting. I had just gotten my first big assignment I was like maybe 23 or something. I was young. So, I get my first big location assignment, which was to observe and collect data on SEELE. They send me to the contact liaison. I walked into this room and there's General Ikari going head to head with General Harris debating with him whether or not, she required the use of an American spy! I liked her then and there. She had a spark and she was funny. She also saw my potential. Your Mom encouraged me to do a lot more. I felt I became a good agent because of her."

Hope smiled. "Wow. You are one of the few people who were not intimidated by her."

"I was never intimidated by her." Sawyer told Hope. "I respected and admired her. She was living history. I felt I could learn a lot from her and I did."

Hope smiled as she flew through the clouds and looked out the window.

"Why did you decide to go into air force and be a fighter pilot?" He asked her.

"Well partly my mother." Hope said. "My mother was one to always talk about duty and honor. Living up to your responsibilities, standing up for what you believe in, keeping your strength close to your heart and knowing what direction is right for your life. I always wanted to fly. I loved to fly. Mom decided, after she got her wings, that she was going to buy a plane. Dad wasn't crazy about it but she told him all about the benefits and how we could fly anywhere and Dad said okay. Dad was always a pushover for my mother. My mother could get anything she wanted out of my father. So, Mom buys this four-seated yellow plane with white stripes on it. It was called a Cessna Excel and it was beautiful. The first time I saw it, I fell in love with it. Mom was anxious to try it so she invites me along one day for the first flight. After that, I went flying with her all the time. I begged my mother to get my pilot's license. I was sixteen and wanted three things more then anything: my driver's license, my pilot's license and to get accepted to the academy. I got my driver's license, then I got my pilot's license and my first solo flight was awesome. Mom let me borrow the plane anytime I wanted to. When I went to the academy, I went directly for fighter pilot training. It was so great. I loved every minute of it. I couldn't wait until the day I flew a jet for real by myself and when I did, it was a feeling I couldn't put into words. That's when I met Isao. He had the same love for flying that I did and the two of us would just fly together and have a great time. He was my wingman and I was his. Flying is my life. Its one of the things I love more then life itself."

Sawyer smiled, as he looked at her. "I never get bored listening to you."

Hope had a feeling those blue eyes of his were dancing at this particular time and she smirked. "Oh, believe me, after a while, you'll be telling me to be quiet."

"Never." He said with a smirk.

Hope smirked. "Sawyer, I've had the best time with you the last couple of days. It's just been…it's been awesome."

"I know, Hope." He said to her as he smiled.

"I miss my Dad so much." Hope said as she breathed in. "Part of me feels guilty for being so happy. I mean I feel like I should be grieving more but you know, I think my Dad would want this for me. I think my Dad would want me to feel happy and do things with my life that I want to do. If anything he'd want me to embrace life and just enjoy myself. I think Dad would be pleased right now."

"I think so too." Sawyer told her. "Souke's been gone a while. He's been at your Mom's house for a little over two weeks now."

"Yeah, Souke called me the other night. He told me he's thinking of moving back home for a while and maybe starting up with the Nagano District Attorney's office. I think he wants to keep an eye on my mother."

"He's a good guy." Sawyer said.

"Yeah, he is." Hope said.

"So does that mean we'll be alone a lot more?"

Hope smiled as she said. "It does mean that, yes."

"Well, if you want…how about we land this plane, get cleaned up, and go grab a nice dinner? Maybe we can have a nice candlelight dinner and then afterwards, we could go back to your place and just…. be alone for a while? Maybe I could give you a nice massage? Maybe, before we go out to dinner, we could get cleaned up together?"

Hope chuckled. "Oh, that sounds like a tempting offer."

"So does that mean yes?" Sawyer asked her with a smile.

"I would say it does." Hope said. "Okay, let me start the pre-landing sequence."

"Roger that, Major." Sawyer said with a smirk.

Hope chuckled and then heard over the radio.

"_KATANA 3, this is NERV Command. Please respond, over_?"

"Katana 3." Hope said into her radio. "Go ahead, NERV Command."

"_Katana 3, you and Commander Dell are ordered to land immediately. There is an emergency briefing in ten minutes at Central Command ordered by General Ikari. Please acknowledge, over._"

Hope looked back at Sawyer and then responded. "NERV Command, Acknowledged. Katana 3 beginning descent ETA is two and half minutes."

"_Roger, Katana 3. You are cleared for landing on runway 5_."

"Acknowledged. Beginning pre-landing sequence. Katana 3 out." Hope said as she flipped switches and began to land her jet. "Did you know about this, Sawyer?"

"News to me."

"Okay, let's land and we'll find out what's going on." Hope said.

The jet began its descent. Hope extended the landing gear and leveled out her jet as she began to land on runway 5. Slowly it came down from the sky and then made contact with the long cement runway breaking shortly as she taxied it to the appropriate spot.

"NERV Command, this is Katana 3. We are on base. Exiting now." Hope said as she pressed a button that raised the cockpit dome and watched as crews came over to her plane with ladders.

"_Katana 3, acknowledged. NERV Command out_."

Hope removed her helmet and unbuckled herself from the pilot's seat. Sawyer did the same. The two of them exited the plane quickly hurrying to NERV Central Command still wearing their black flight suits.

As they took the elevator down to Central Command and arrived, they saw General Ikari by a terminal waiting for waiting for them.

Hope smiled as she saw her mother. Asuka was dressed in her tan desert fatigues. She had a fatigue hat on her head showing her three stars on it. On her shoulder board were her three stars sewn on. She was also armed, a pistol was her sidearm and a rifle was over her shoulder.

Hope thought it was unusual that her mother was dressed for battle but remembering her military decorum and that her mother was a senior officer, she followed protocol.

"Officer on deck!" Hope called out, standing at attention and saluting her mother.

Asuka saw her, smiled, saluted back and then replied. "As you were, Major."

"General Ikari, what brings you to NERV Command?" Sawyer asked.

"Take a seat, Commander." General Ikari said. "I'll wait for the rest of the NERV staff to arrive and then I'll tell you what's happening."

"General, ma'am, may I have a word with you after the briefing in private?" Hope asked.

"Of course, Major." General Ikari said with a smile. "Please take your seat."

Hope and Sawyer sat in the front of the room and looked at one another as Asuka went back to the terminal at the front of the room and attached a small microphone to her uniform.

Soon the rest of the staff arrived. Two soldiers closed all the doors to the room and stood beside the doors. The two large monitors at the front of the room blinked showing both the Japanese Prime Minister and the President of the United States.

Asuka turned to the monitors and saluted then said. "Good morning, Mr. President. Konnicha wa, Prime Minister Iruku-sama."

The Prime Minister bowed as he looked at Asuka and the President nodded his head.

Sawyer looked over at Hope and then looked back at the monitor.

Asuka turned around to face the room and said. "Please note that no one is to enter nor exit the room once this briefing is underway.. This meeting is to kept classified and top level."

"What's going on?" Hope asked her.

"I have no idea." Sawyer responded.

Asuka stepped to the front of the room and spoke.

"Good afternoon. As of this moment, 1642 hours, you are all on active duty per the order of the Japanese Prime Minister and the President of the United States as well as the United Nations. Tomorrow morning at 0500, we are going to commence with Operation Sandstorm. This information that you are about to hear is to be kept classified."

Asuka flipped a button on the control panel that she stood next showing a satellite photo on the large monitor and she continued. "What you are looking at is a satellite photo taken three hours ago. We have confirmed this location as belonging to SEELE. Teams of fifty-seven US Navy SEALS were sent in to apprehend the members of SEELE after an AT field was detected through routine observation. This was considered a high threat and therefore, immediate plans by order of General Harris, had the SEAL team go in to counter this threat."

Sawyer breathed in as he heard her words and Hope became wide-eyed.

"As you know, an AT field cannot be reproduced by any other source except for two. One of these sources is an Evangelion unit and the other, is what we code named, an Angel."

Hope's fists tightened as she listened and Sawyer equally became apprehensive.

"When the SEAL teams were sent in, SEELE attacked. They unleashed an AT field measuring at a scale that has never been recorded previously. The field rendered the SEAL team immobilized and summarily, all fifty-seven US Navy SEALS lost their lives. A particle cannon was fired upon two US Navy patrol cruisers and before, the ships could react to defend themselves, they were destroyed. A total loss of life of 1,500 men was recorded. Fighter jets were sent in to attack and in an instant immobilized by a force that was not recorded in time. In an emergency session by the Japanese Parliament and the Japanese Prime Minister, three hours ago, we, along with the United States and the United Nations, have declared a state of emergency for the entire planet. We are now at war."

Hope swallowed hard as she watched her mother who looked very much in control and competent, and she felt her stomach turning into knots at the mention of the word "war."

Asuka continued speaking to the room firmly. "We are convinced at this point beyond a shadow of a doubt that SEELE is getting ready to commence with what we believe is Fourth Impact."

Sawyer looked nervous as he took a deep breath and then glanced over at Hope. Asuka took a deep breath as she began to walk across the room and spoke calmly, leaning against one of the terminals and facing the room with a somber look.

"In observing several methods of communication both from this base to several governments from SEELE themselves, they are basically baiting us to try and stop them. They have informed us that Instrumentality will commence, Fourth Impact will occur, and that the existence of our world will be altered to fit their view of perfection."

"Damnit." Sawyer growled.

"We don't have a lot of time." Asuka said. "We may not be successful. The threat is far greater then any faced previously. We have been developing over the past few weeks a plan of action and we believe we will be successful in our endeavor. In order to be successful with our operation, it will require strength; will, dedication and determination to beat this threat and keep our world safe. We cannot fail. There is no room for failure. If we fail, the entire world falls to the hands of SEELE. Therefore, it is essential and mandatory that we stop this threat before its too late."

"What is the plan of action, General?" Sawyer asked.

"Beginning at 0500, you will report to several transport planes that will transport you to the NERV Command Center in the Sahara Desert. We have set up four bases of command from which this operation will be controlled."

"Command Hub is where I will be commanding the strike teams from. With Commander Dell in charge of these strike teams, they will go in and apprehend SEELE."

"NERV Command Center is where you, Commander Dell, will conduct and oversea the operation of Evangelion Unit 1 piloted by Major Hope Ikari."

Asuka looked at Hope and said firmly. "Major Ikari, your orders are as follows. You will pilot Unit 1. You are to prevent at all costs the use of an AT field on a friendly. You are to stop any entity which is capable of producing an AT field. You are to destroy, if required, any threat possible, which could thwart our plans. As soon as Major Ikari has put the threat at bay, a squadron of fighter jets will attack if needed. This squadron of fighter jets have been equipped with special missiles capable of producing an AT field on contact. These missiles will render either an Evangelion or an Angel immobile thereby allowing Commander Dell and his strike team to infiltrate and capture SEELE."

"General Ikari," Commander Dell said. ", Wouldn't I be better off commanding NERV then leading the strike team?"

"Commander Dell." General Ikari said. ", As a trained military officer, CIA operative and commander, you are the best choice for the leader of the strike team. You will remain in command at NERV until I issue the order for the strike team to attack."

"Understood, General." Sawyer said firmly.

"You'll notice that I said this operation will not commence until 0500 tomorrow. There is a reason. If we are not successful tomorrow, and it remains that Earth's fate has fallen to the diabolical and hideous plans of SEELE, then I want you to have had one day with your family and friends. Tonight, I want you to enjoy your lives. I want you to be with your loved ones. I want you to remember that all though you have duty and honor," then she smiled as she looked at her daughter and said in a kind, warm voice. ", that you also have the love and strength of your family and that they will always stand beside you and support you through all that is good and bad."

Hope smiled back at her mother and Asuka turned her attention back to the room speaking with confidence. "However, I am not counting on losing tomorrow! The President of the United States has graciously given me 2000 US Marines for use in our strike team. He has also given us the use of the US Navy, the US Air Force and the US Army. General Harris has been supplying countless series of intelligence from the first moment that this threat was deemed high risk. We believe that this is our time now to attack and make our world safe for future generations! What we do today, what we face tomorrow, will lay down the path for the safety of mankind! The destiny of one person can alter a maniac's view and it is your destiny tomorrow to defend your world for the freedom of the innocent and the generations that are yet to come! I will stand beside you and I will fight with you! I will give my life if necessary to protect what I hold dear! I will not give up and I will not falter! I will hold my spirit high and I will give to you, to all of you, the strength, the courage and the will to be victorious! We cannot and we will not fail!"

Hope breathed with a smile and a nod as she looked at her mother. She stood up at attention and saluted her mother. Sawyer followed. Then the rest of the room did the same.

Asuka nodded her head in approval and smiled. Standing at attention, she saluted the room back standing proudly.

The room once again took their seats and Asuka smiled as she stood at ease saying with pride. "I will not let you down. I swear this to you all. Prepare for immediate transport at 0500 tomorrow morning. All crews will report to the main hanger deck at that time. May God be with us all. YOU ARE DISMISSED!"

The images of the President and the Japanese Prime Minister clicked out as well as the satellite photo. General Ikari went back to the terminal and began to put away folders and papers into an open metallic attaché case.

The room began to exit. Sawyer and Hope got up from the chairs and walked over to General Ikari who looked at them both with a warm smiles as she closed the case and picked it up off of the desk.

"Permission to speak freely, General?" Major Ikari asked.

"Granted, Major." Asuka responded.

"That was a hell of a speech, Ma." Hope said with a smile.

"I'm glad." Asuka said. "I believed what I said. We're not going to fail. We're going to stop these bastards in their tracks."

"I have no doubt of that." Sawyer told her. "You have the entire command crew on your side right now. They're ready to follow any order you give them."

Asuka nodded. "What can I say? I've got a gift."

Hope chuckled as she looked at her mother. "I'm glad to see you're here. I was worried about you for a while."

"So was I." Asuka said with a smile. "I began to see things clearly though. What I do tomorrow, I do for your father, and all of my kids. I'm also doing for the grandchildren that are yet to come. Your Dad would want me to do this, I'm not going to let him down."

"I know Dad is probably very proud of you right now." Hope said to her mother with a smile.

"I hope so." Asuka said with a brave smile. "Hey, I have an idea. My chopper is outside and it's waiting for me. So why don't you two come back with me to the house? I was thinking of having this nice barbecue tonight. I bought a ton of food yesterday. I got all kinds of stuff. I called Reina and she came in last night. Souke by now is probably making a mess and I can just hear Reina yelling at him right now."

"Mom, that sounds great." Hope said.

"Plus, it's our way of honoring your father as well." Asuka said with a smile. "Also, I just want us all to be together. Sawyer, I know your family is in Virginia but as I've known you, you are just like a member of my family. I want you to come too."

"I would be honored to, General Ikari." Sawyer said proudly as he reached for Hope's hand and gently held it.

"And…. um…if you two…. want…well, uh…you know I'm not like prudish or anything…but if you…. are…. or want to…. you know…stay-in-the-same-room-together-well-then-that's-okay-with-me." She said quickly as she cleared her throat. "Just keep the noise down, okay? I mean Souke with that damn stereo is one thing…. but you know what I mean, right?"

"Oh." Hope said as she got red in the face and looked back at Sawyer who also was as red as a beet.

"You know, I…kind of…had an idea…that you two…. were…. you know…. an item?" Asuka asked.

Sawyer looked back at Hope and then Hope said to her mother with a smile as she reached for his hand.. "We're in love, Ma."

Asuka's eyes went wide as cleared her throat once more and said. "Oh! Wow! That's…great. I mean, I kind of knew it but…uh…well either way, that's great. Really. I mean that. Its great news! Fantastic! Terrific! Wow! In love, huh? That's wonderful! I'm…. I'm happy…for…. um…. you both. Really. Truly. Swear on my stars!" She said with a nervous chuckle.

"I know I'll be thinking of Dad when I'm out there." Hope said proudly.

"I will too." Sawyer said.

"So will I." Asuka said. "So, why don't you two go home…err, I meant, to your separate places, and grab some stuff and meet me back here? I'll wait for you and I'll call Souke at home and tell him to hold off on serving until we're almost home."

"Sounds good, Mom." Hope said.

"Great!" Asuka said with a smile as she looked at them. "I'll meet you back here."

"Okay, Ma." Hope said as she looked up Sawyer and then the two of them walked out of the room.

As Asuka watched them seeing them smile at one another, holding onto each other's hands, she smiled and nodded her head saying. "Yup, he was what she needed."

Walking with her briefcase in hand, she also walked towards the door.

(FYI: Wasn't Asuka's speech just rousing? I got the idea from two movies. The first was Patton where he stands up in front of the American flag in full dress and motivates his soldier's to fight. The other is from the movie Independence Day when the President speaks to the rag-tag bunch of pilots about to defend the Earth from the evil aliens. Stay tuned…there's more to come.)


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

In the Sahara Desert, General Harris sat at an oval conference table in a dimly lit room surrounded by eleven angry faces looking back at him.

General Harris was laughing.

They were not.

"You fool! How could you let them discover us so easily?" SEELE 09 yelled out.

"What has happened," SEELE 03 said bitterly. "IS YOU LOST CONTROL OF THIS, HARRIS! THIS IS ALL YOUR DOING!"

"I all ready told you," SEELE 07, said with a snicker. ", There is nothing to worry about. Tomorrow morning, General Ikari will commence with Operation Sandstorm and it will blow up right into her face. Tomorrow is the day for Fourth Impact."

"You are insane." SEELE 12 said.

"You have taken this too far!" SEELE 01 said angrily as he jumped from his chair and glared at Harris. "We should just unleash this weapon and be done with it! To hell with General Ikari! To hell with them all, we should start Instrumentality now!"

"Our plans are going awry." SEELE 05 answered.

"It's due to this maniac! Harris, I recommend that as the seventh member of SEELE you be EXPELLED!" SEELE 01 said. "Your bloodshed, torture and mind games are proof that you are more out for power then you are about the future of humanity."

"You cannot expel me!" Harris said with a snicker. "I have given you everything you wanted. To expel me now would only damn you all."

"We're damned enough as it is!" SEELE 09 growled as she fidgeted in her chair. "This was never our intent or our purpose! Our predecessors' mistakes were proof of that! We never should have listened to you! We should unleash our creation and go ahead with Instrumentality as planned. We cannot fail."

"If we do that, we won't have Unit One and we need it!" General Harris said. "This operation has to go as planned. We need to merge both Unit One and Angel 20! Don't worry. General Ikari is playing right into our hands."

"She doesn't seem so shaken now!" SEELE 05 growled. "She doesn't even look like she is the least bit bothered!"

"Relax. She will be defeated and she will be dead at our feet." Harris said as he kept his hand on his weapon and clicked off the safety. "Believe me I am waiting for the right moment to walk up to the brave General Ikari and stab a knife into her heart. I will be the one to slay General Ikari! No one else but me!"

"You need to stop this now before it's too late!" SEELE 09 called out.

"Our creation is more then enough! We don't require Unit 01." SEELE 03 said.

"Don't you understand?" Harris growled. "You fools are blind! The merging of EVA and Angel has to be complete to begin Fourth Impact! Once, we control both we will have what we need. We don't have to worry about our timetable."

"General Harris, I think you have taken this way too far." SEELE 01 said angrily.

"As the seventh member of this organization, it is I who have taken you further then ever before!" Harris yelled out. "I killed Shinji Ikari! I killed Isao Katsumoto! I will kill General Asuka Ikari and her daughter! I have engineered and designed the systematic new beginning for life on Earth! You owe everything to me!"

"You have been more obsessed with killing and suffering then about the new dawn of mankind." SEELE 09 said. "SEELE is to represent a new world order for all of mankind. We are not about murder. We are not about slaying the innocent. The new dawn of mankind should not be at the cost of the innocent and you have spilled too much blood."

"Have I?" Harris asked.

"Yes!" SEELE 09 said.

"Perhaps I should spill some more." Harris said coldly as he pulled his weapon and shot SEELE 09 in the head watching as blood and skull fragments flew everywhere and onto the other members seated nearby.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" SEELE 03 asked in fear. "HARRIS, HOW DARE YOU!"

"HARRIS!" SEELE 01 said.

"In fact, from now on, " Harris said as he pointed his weapon. "_I am_ SEELE!"

Harris smiled and then shot all remaining ten members one by one killing them all in cold blood.

He laughed as he looked around the room, killing the weakened or wounded members who were left alive.

As he approached SEELE 03 who was lying on the floor with a giant gaping wound from her chest, he snickered as he pointed his gun. "You never should have trusted me."

"Harris, you will burn for this!" She seethed.

"I have what I need now. You and the rest of SEELE are now expendable. Congratulations. You've been working for me all along. My regards." Harris told her with a snicker. "Now allow me to send you straight to Hell."

"HARRIS!"

Firing his weapon into SEELE 03's forehead, he smiled as he looked around the room.

"Now there is only one master for Instrumentality." Harris said as he laughed at the dead members of SEELE on the floor.

Turning to the monitor, he said. "GET SOMEONE IN HERE TO CLEAN THIS MESS UP ON THE DOUBLE! DISPOSE OF THE BODIES PROPERLY."

(Oh isn't he just a bastard? Is anyone safe? What a sick lunatic! This part was fun to write…okay, here's a heartwarming scene in the next chapter.)


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Laughter filled a house in a valley in the shadow of a large mountain that stood in the distance as night arrived. In the living room of this house, five people sat on the carpet or the couch beside the fireplace which crackled and brightly brightly.. All of them were happy and couldn't stop laughing as they told jokes and stories nearly all night long.

They had all come together and were enjoying themselves. They had enjoyed a great dinner with all of their favorite things to eat, sipped good wine and now were enjoying the company of each other.

"More wine?" Souke asked as he held up a bottle.

"No, Souke. I've had enough." A pretty girl by his side said. She had dark eyes that shined at him and dark jet black hair that was straight as a pain. She smiled gently at him and he in turn could not stop smiling at her.

"Anyone else?" he asked.

"No, Souke. I can't I've got duty tomorrow." Hope said as she leaned up against a hard chest whose strong arms came around her.

"Rei? You?"

"No, Souke. Thanks." She said as she sat on the couch and bought her feet up on it, leaning on one elbow..

"Geez! You guys are lightweights." Souke said as he poured himself another glass.

"Hey, Ma." Reina said as she chuckled. "Tell us that story about you and Dad. You know? The first kiss story?"

"Yeah!" Hope said with excitement. "That's the best! That is so funny!"

"You don't want to hear that story again, do you?" Asuka asked with annoyance as she rolled her eyes and bought her beige colored sweater around her.

"Ah, c'mon, Ma!" All three exclaimed at the same time.

"Tell us, Ma."

"Would you please?"

"Come on, Mom. Sawyer's never heard it before."

:"Yeah, neither has Kiri." Souke said with a chuckle.

"Okay!" Asuka growled. "Shut up all ready! I'll tell you! Geez, you guys are just like when you were kids. You never get enough of that story!"

"C'mon, Ma." Hope said.

"Okay fine." Asuka said as she chuckled. "Well, it was a long time ago. We were both fourteen and we were living at Misato's. The part I left out when I first told you this story is that we were EVA pilots and we were working for NERV."

"Yeah, Ma. I always wondered why you and Dad lived at the same place." Souke said.

"I mean that exchange student thing? I just wasn't buying it." Hope said.

"I know can we say LAME?' Reina called out with a chuckle as all four began to laugh.

"Will you three PLEASE SHUT UP AND LET ME CONTINUE?" Asuka boomed.

Hope chuckled and said. "We're sorry, Mom."

"Go ahead, General." Sawyer told her. "I'd like to hear it."

"Oh this is the best." Hope chuckled.

"Okay, so I went out on this double date with my friend Hikari and she fixed me up with this really cute but oh so boring football player. I couldn't wait to get out of there. So, I kind of ditched him." Asuka said with a chuckle.

"Mom, that was so mean." Hope said.

"Well, anyway," Asuka said with a laugh as she continued. "I arrived at the apartment complex and I'm walking through the hall on my way back to our apartment. I had my keys in my hand and I hear music."

"Music?" Sawyer asked.

"Yeah." Hope said as she looked up at him with a smile. "Listen, it gets better."

"So there I am out in the hall. " Asuka said as she leaned against the couch. "I was just listening to this beautiful music and it enthralled me. It was so wonderful; it was like being swept up in a dream. So I open the door and there by the window, seated in a chair, was your Dad." Asuka smiled as she thought back. "He was sitting with his back facing me and he was playing his cello. It was the first time I ever saw him do that. He was so wrapped up in it. He had a smile on his face and it was like he was feeling the music through him, it was quite unlike anything I've ever seen before. So I stood there in the doorway and I just watched him. I watched for a good hour I think. He was so deeply passionately and for his age, I mean, he was young, but I just…. I felt something right there for him…. and it was like all I wanted at that point was just to be with him."

"This is a funny story?" Sawyer asked as he whispered into Hope's ear.

"Shush." Hope whispered. "It gets better."

"Oh wow!" Kiri said. "You guys must have been in love from the start!"

"I wouldn't say that." Asuka said with a smile and a chuckle.. "So, anyway after he was done, he sits in the chair and looks out the window. I applauded and he turned around, red in the face, and smiled at me. I told him that I thought it was very good. He asked me, how long I was standing there for? I lied. I told him a few minutes. I was really there a hour. He asked me, what I was doing back so early from my date. I said, that the guy was a jerk and he was boring so I left. That surprised him and he scolded me for leaving the guy. So, I trotted off to my room and changed. I came out and there was your Dad just sitting on the floor in the kitchen. His back was against the wall and he was staring off into space. I came into the kitchen and I sat down at the table. I laid my head down on my arm and turned just looking at him. I was thinking, _he really is cute after all._ Then I kept thinking, _wow that music was just beautiful. He must really have passion inside of him_. So look over at him and I asked him, in just this very casual voice: _Hey, Shinji, you wanna kiss me?"_

"You approached him first?" Sawyer asked.

"Shinji, when he was younger, was a very shy boy." Asuka said to Sawyer as she sat back and thumbed the necklace around her neck. "Later on, the shyness kind of _disappeared _but when he was a boy, Shinji Ikari was so shy and so withdrawn. He was afraid, so shy and unsure. It was adorable." Asuka said with a laugh.

"So what did he do?" Kiri asked.

"He looked at me as if I was crazy." Asuka told them with a chuckle. "He was like, _what? Kiss you? Why? _So, I thought about the answer for a second and said to him, _because I'm bored that's why! It gives us something to do. Haven't you ever wanted to? _So, your Dad got uneasy and he looked at me and said. _Why do you want to do that? _So again I thought about my answer and said very casually once more, _Well, do you or don't you, idiot? What's the matter? You scared or somethin'? _Your Dad turned to me with this look of fire in his eyes. He stood up as he raised his fist and said. _I am not! Pucker up!" _Asuka said as she tried to intimidate Shinji's adolescent voice with a raised fist and an angry look.

Hope cracked up laughing as she heard her mother, as she said. "Oh my God! That's just the way Daddy used to tell it!"

"So, what happened after that?" Sawyer asked.

"Well," Asuka said. "I got up from my chair, pushed it in, walked right up to him and said: _here I come!_ Your Dad looked so nervous. He starting sweating, his face got red, he looked like a deer caught in the headlights. So I approach him, looked into his eyes and lost myself there for a second. I started to move in and then I thought to myself, _well if this is really good then I might get carried away. I have to do something that makes sure that doesn't happen_."

"Yeah." Souke said with a chuckle. "Ma was afraid of Dad slipping her the tongue!"

The room laughed as they heard him while Asuka threw a pillow at Souke. "Idiot! Will you let me tell the story?"

"Okay, Ma. Sorry." Souke said.

"So, I walk up to your Dad and I said: _Shinji, your breath is tickling me._ He looks at me and says with a shrug of shoulders: _I can't help it, Asuka. _So quickly, I move right in and I press my lips against his and then…. I _grabbed…_ his nose."

"You what?" Sawyer asked with a laugh.

"She pinched his nose." Hope said with a chuckle.

"You're kidding!" Kiri called out with laughter.. "You actually did that?"

"Uh huh." Asuka said with a laugh. "So, there we are. In the kitchen, kissing one another and I'm pinching his nose. It was funny though. It was a good kiss and I almost let go of his nose. Meanwhile, your Dad was running out of breath and nearly turning blue. So I parted from him and he stepped back, holding onto his chest, breathing in air, and nearly passing out. I stood there smirking for a minute and then quickly made like it grossed me out. I ran into the bathroom and started saying. _Oh that Baka Shinji. Ewe! Gross! Yuck! How could I stoop so low?"_

"What did Dad do?" Reina asked.

Asuka smiled and then said. "When I came out from the bathroom, he was standing in the kitchen and he saw me. Then, he smiled. He actually smiled at me. I looked back at him, turned up my nose and went Hmph! I marched straight into my room, shut the door and then giggled like a schoolgirl."

"You must have been crazy about him." Kiri said with a smile.

"I would never admit it." Asuka said. "I was nuts over him. He was everything that I was not. Yet, we were identical to each other. Any time I needed him, he was there. I was really mean to him though. There was another time, and I don't I ever told you guys this, but, one night I had a really bad nightmare. I woke up and I was scared. So I get up and I walk over to your Dad's door. I'm standing there for a minute and then I opened the door and walked in. Your Dad was in bed, he had his SDAT player on in his ear, snoring away. Little did I know that your Dad was faking being asleep and he knew I was right outside the door. He told me that he also knew I was crying in the next room. I came over to his bed and sat down, just looking at him. Then I lie down next to him and shut my eyes, he woke up startled! He later told me that at that moment he was thinking, _oh my God, there's a girl in my bed._"

The three chuckled as they looked at their mother.

"What did Daddy do?" Hope asked.

"Well, I wasn't asleep. I could hear his breathing quickening and then I felt him move closer. I could tell he was looking at me. I felt him move again and I could feel his breath coming closer. He was going to try and kiss me. At this point I got scared. I was thinking, _what if he kisses me and we can't stop? What if we get too carried away? What could happen? We are in his bed and things like that happen when two people are in bed with each other. Should we do that?_ _I can't let that Baka Shinji take advantage of me! Quick think of something! _A lot goes through an adolescent mind. Now, he's just a breath away from me. I can hear him breathing and feel his hand rest on my arm. So I said something that I knew would throw him off. I said: _Kaji_."

"Oh man! Ouch!" Souke said.

"Poor Daddy." Hope said with a chuckle. "Mom, that was mean!"

"So, what happened?" Reina asked. "Did Dad say anything? Did he kiss you still? I mean what happened?"

Asuka smirked. "I heard your Dad make a small noise almost like a gasp.. Your Dad told me that at that moment, he felt his heart break. I felt your Dad get up from the bed and grab his pillow and then I reached over to touch him to see if he was there. I turned and opened my eyes and he was sleeping on the floor. Then I heard him say, _you're still just a kid, aren't you_? He pulled the blanket over his head and went to sleep. I watched him the whole night. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. In the morning when I woke up, he had covered me with a blanket and I woke up with this strange feeling inside of me and then I said to myself: _Oh no! I'm in love with Shinji!_

Everyone in that room laughed 

Then Hope asked her mother. "Okay, Mom, here's a question for you? Now that we all know you and Dad were the only survivors of Third Impact…. what did you and Dad do for all that time you were alone together, huh?"

"HOPE!" Asuka exclaimed.

"Yeah, Mom. I mean we are all proof you and Dad got together but what about when you two hormone driven teenagers were all by yourselves…. alone in the wilderness?" Souke asked.

"Souke Ikari! Show some respect!" Asuka growled as she shook her head. "You don't want to hear this."

"Yes, we do!" All three said.

"It was tough." Asuka said. "We were all alone in the world with no one and nothing. We only had each other to survive."

"Is that when you guys made up your rule? Where you go, I go?"

Asuka nodded. "That's where it came from. We faced life and death everyday. We did our best to survive and get along. It was very hard at first. Your Dad was so strong though through it all. I always acted like I was in charge but it was him all along. I needed your Dad and he needed me."

"When did you give Dad a _real kiss_?" Hope asked.

"Mom, you have to tell us." Reina said with a smile.

"Oh my God!" Asuka said as she leaned up on her elbow and shook her head.

"Yeah, I want to know too, Ma!" Souke said. "When did Dad get a real kiss from you?"

"Okay, fine." Asuka said as she looked at them. "It was a year after Third Impact and we were walking along this road, a curved road it was pretty high. Out in the distance you could see the crater from Third Impact. So we stop for a break and I saw a flower. When I went to go pick it, I fell."

"You fell?"

"Yeah but as I fell I grabbed a hold of this plant root and hung on. As soon as I fell, your Dad was right there. He reached down and grabbed me and the ground started to shake! So, he grabs me and pulls me right up while the ground is shaking. Your Dad gets us out of the way by jumping over to harder ground and the whole road at that point just crumbled right before our eyes and fell all the way down. So your Dad is sitting with me by the side of the road and I'm terrified, shaking, holding onto him, and I just never wanted to let go. So, Dad looks at me and he holds me really tight and then he looked into my eyes and he kissed me. It was amazing." Asuka said as a tear fell from her eye. "Your Dad was something else."

"Wow." Hope said. "So, what kind of kiss was it, Mom?"

"Yeah, did Dad slip you the tongue then?"

"Yeah, Mom, do tell." Reina said.

Asuka chuckled at them and said. "It was the kind of the kiss that made butterflies go off in my stomach and my knees shake. My head felt it was spinning and it was just…just great…. and no, Souke, he did not slip me the tongue!"

Souke chuckled and said. "Well eventually he did, right?"

Asuka stretched and then said. . "On that note, I think its time for bed."

"C'mon, Mom, its early. Its only like ten o'clock!" Souke told her.

"For you. For me, its not." Asuka said. "I've got this mission tomorrow. So, I'm going to say good night now."

"Okay Mom." Souke said. "So just out of curiosity when did he?"

"SOUKE!" Asuka growled. "**IT-WAS-A-YEAR-AFTER-THAT-OKAY**?"

"Damn, Ma. You waited way too long." Souke said with a chuckle.

"Funny, mister." Asuka said as she narrowed her eyes.

"Mama, good luck tomorrow." Reina said as she looked at her. "We'll be awake when you're ready to go."

Asuka smiled at her daughter. She hugged her and then said gently."Thank you, Sweetheart."

Souke stood up and looked at his mother next, smiling at her. "Ma, it's going to be fine tomorrow. You'll do it. I know you will. I think Dad will be with you tomorrow, I know you'll do it."

"Souke…." Asuka said with a smile as she looked upon her son. "My Souke. My son." She said to him as she walked over to him and hugged him.

Souke closed his eyes as he hugged his mother back and smiled. "You'll do it, Mom. I know you will."

Turning towards her oldest daughter, Hope walked up to her and smiled. "We've got a lot to think about, Mom, but we'll be okay."

Asuka nodded at her and said. "I know we will."

Hope hugged her mother and smiled. "I have faith in you. We're going to win, Mom."

Asuka smiled at her and nodded. "There's no doubt in my mind. Hope, come with me for a second. There's something I want to show you."

"Sure Mom." Hope said as she turned to Sawyer and said. "Go on up. I'll be there in a minute."

Sawyer nodded at her and then watched as Asuka and Hope walked down the hall to Asuka's bedroom.

Hope walked in and sat down on the bed, looking at her mother as Asuka went into a drawer and pulled out a small box.

She turned back to Hope and smiled as she said.

"This is something that I think you should have." Asuka told her as she walked up to her daughter and handed her the box.

As Hope took it and looked at it, she stared up at her mother as she took the box into her hands and opened it. She looked back at her mother as she took it out of the box and held it in her hand.

"What is this?" Hope asked.

"Many years ago, Misato gave your Dad the strength to go pilot Unit 01 to stop SEELE. While she was getting him to safety, she was shot and right before she died she gave that to your father. Your father kept it for many years. It was her way of giving him strength. Then later on, I was piloting an EVA. You were very little. You had just turned five and Souke was just a baby. Your Dad was convinced that he would never pilot an EVA again but when I was in trouble, your father bravely decided he would pilot the EVA one last time to save me. He gave this back to Misato and told her that he had found his strength and he would never be afraid again. Then Dad went to go save me."

"Wow." Hope said as she looked at it.

"When Misato was in the hospital, after her accident, right before she passed away, she gave this back to me and told me that this was for you. She said someday that you would need it and she asked me to give it to you. So she put it in my hand and then said good bye." Asuka said with a smile. "I've had it for many years. Your Dad knew and we've kept it safe for you. Now I'm giving it you for your strength because it carries the spirit of your father and of Misato to guide you."

Hope stared at it. It was a small simple cross that hung on a plastic necklace. She clutched it in her hand and then put it around her neck looking back at her mother.

"I know where my strength lies, Mama." Hope said as she stood up and walked over to her mother. "It came from my father, from you, from Souke, Reina, Isao and Sawyer. My love is my strength. My family is the source of it. You and Daddy gave me that belief and I hold it close to my heart, just like I will hold this close to my heart and always keep it close."

Asuka smiled at her daughter and then walked up to her and hugged her. "I love you, Hope." Asuka whispered as she hugged her. "You are my first born and you are my hope for the future. I love you with all my heart, my sweet girl, and I believe in you with all that I am."

"I love you too, Mama." Hope said as she hugged her mother. "I believe in you too. I won't let you down. I swear to you."

As Hope looked at mother, Asuka smiled at her and then said. "Get a good night's rest and tomorrow morning, we'll do our duty."

Hope nodded and then walked to the bedroom door saying. "Good night, Mama."

"Good night, Sweetheart." Asuka told her.

As Asuka watched Hope leave the room and shut the door, she pulled out from around her neck a small gold chain that had a gold ring hanging from it. .

Staring at the picture on her dresser, she picked it up and looked at it, smiling at it as she felt a tear come out of her eye.

"Shinji." She whispered.

The picture showed him smiling back at her, leaning up against the tree in the backyard on a bright summer day. He was wearing the clothes he would favor most of the time, a long sleeved white button down shirt and blue jeans. It was taken when he was around thirty, his arms were crossed and he smiled at her while she took that picture.

It was her favorite picture of him.

"Baka Shinji." She said to the picture. "I love you. Give me strength tomorrow, my love. Guide Hope. Guide me. I know you'll be there."

Gently, she bought her finger to her lips and then placed it on the picture that she lightly traced with a smile across her face. "Baka." She whispered as she sat the picture down and then changed into a pair of comfortable pajamas and settled into bed.

She looked over at the empty spot. It was his side of the bed and in all of the time that she had known him; he had never changed from sleeping on that side no matter where they were.

Lightly put her hand on the pillow, as she sighed out and closed her eyes.

Right before she fell asleep, she thought she heard someone say gently to her.

_**"I'm here. I'm right beside you. I'm not going anywhere."**_

"Shinji." She breathed out as sleep took hold of her.

(I'm going to give you a heads up for the later chapters. Pay attention to the formatting. Its essential. That's all I will tell you. Stay tuned there is an update on the way and the end is near!)


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

0500 Zulu

OPERATION SANDSTORM COMMENCES…

_It took nearly ten hours to reach the base in the Sahara. _

_We're all tired._

I_ hate sand in my boots._

_The first day went well. _

_The briefing was short and sweet._

_Command crews are in position._

_The strike team is ready to invade._

_Now we just have to wait for SEELE to play their card._

_If they play an Ace_

_We'll pull the Joker._

_This is it. This is what I've been preparing for all my life. Tomorrow will determine the fate for us all._

_Objective 1: Send in the strike team to immobilize SEELE_

_Objective 2: Stop Fourth Impact._

_Objective 3: Try not to get killed._

_Easier said then done_.

Those were Major General Asuka Ikari's thoughts as she sat back in her chair at the Command Hub reading several reports while she yawned, feeling fatigue setting in.

_Seventeen hours today alone._

_I'm exhausted._

_I'd do anything for my bed back home right about now and a nice stiff drink wouldn't be too bad either._

Tomorrow is the battle for the survival of the planet Earth.

_I wonder if they know we're here. _

_The base hasn't made any aggressive movements yet and that feels odd to me. In the past seventy-two hours, we've observed movement and now silence. Its like the mouse is in the hole, hiding from the cat waiting to strike._

_Are they in fear of us?_

_Should it be the other way around?_

_Too many questions, I need some rest._

_The overnight crew is on the ball. _

_They'll alert me to anything new. _

Getting up from her desk, Asuka stretched and the turned to her second in command as she said, "I'm going into my quarters to rest. Alert me to any new developments."

"Yes, General." The colonel told her as she walked away from the desk and out the door to the desert.

_It's chilly out here. _

_Different. _

She stared up in the night sky, looked at the stars and smiled as it bought back a memory.

Those stars are so bright and so beautiful.

_It's so bright out here._

_Do you remember that town that we came across when I had sprained my ankle, Shinji? That was such a strange day. It was so long ago but those memories we had could last forever. _

_There we were, walking together, hand in hand along a road to somewhere, and then I said something I had been thinking all along about. Remember what I said? Of course you do, Baka. "We could go anywhere we want in the world. We could even get drunk and run around naked if we wanted to."_

_I should have known at the age you were, a comment like that was not going to just slip by. _

_You said something back I didn't like because it struck a nerve, and I started to chase you to beat you up. _

_Then I tripped and fell. _

_My ankle was sprained. _

_You carried me the whole way. I insulted you and cursed at you the whole time that you carried me in the safety of your strong arms through the blaring summer heat._

_I knew you were tired and sore. _

_You didn't stop though, not until we reached that town._

_The desert is like that town. _

_That town was so empty, dirty and dusty and we wondered what was there for us if anything. _

_You walked right into the first building you saw and it was that empty bar. I couldn't believe you had taken me to a bar. I yelled at you, called you an idiot like I always did and then we made a great discovery. We were so lucky. _

_That bar became our sanctuary for nearly a week. We had so much fun there. Despite the fact my ankle was hurt, you made it fun. I couldn't believe our luck. God had to have been with us that day. That electric was still on. How? I still have no clue about that to this day. The plumbing was working. How? Beats me. Luck was with us that day. _

_It was like somebody said to us, "Here you go, Shinji and Asuka, you've been stuck in hell for almost three years with nothing but each other so consider this a small gift from Heaven. Enjoy."_

_Do you remember that night at the bar, Shinji? _

_I'm not talking about the first night we were there when you got piss drunk, danced with me in the center of the apartment and then we ended up making out on the couch. _

_No, I'm talking about that second night we were there. _

_The night when we sat outside on the front steps of that bar and looked up at the stars? You were smiling with a beer in your hand and I was sitting next to you._

_As I'm looking up at the stars now, they are as bright as they were that night. That was such a good night. _

_You started telling me the stories behind the constellations and that you used to try and make up your own constellations in the night sky. You told me it became your little secret game when we first discovered we were all alone in the world. It was something for you to do right before you fell asleep. You told me you kept it to yourself because you thought that I would think it was stupid. _

_You were right; I did think it was stupid._

_Looking up at that night sky now, I'm seeing the one you told me about. You told me the story of Orion and I remember it well._

_I committed that story to memory just as you had told me. _

_Thinking back though to the first time you told me that story, Shinji. I was in awe listening to you._

_"Well," you started out as you sipped your beer. ", I'm not much of a storyteller, Asuka but I'll try."_

_So, I leaned in really close and I listened to you as you sipped your beer and looked up at the night sky._

_"Well, you see, way back when in Greek times, there was a great hunter and his name was Orion. He was the strongest guy around, everybody liked him, everybody looked up to him and no one ever messed with him. He protected everyone. He took care of his people and __Orion was known as the "dweller of the mountain." He was like a rock star, y'know? He was famous and all the girls were after him. So, he said to everybody he was going to rid the Earth of all the wild animals who plagued the villages. Well, the Gods didn't think that was cool. So the goddess of Earth, who loved all creatures great and small, thought Orion was bragging too much. So, she sent a deadly, huge scorpion to Orion one night. Now, Orion was a big bad hunter. Nothing scared him. So, with his two dogs, he went out to fight the scorpion!"_

_"What happened?" I asked. _

"Well, the scorpion was too much for Orion and as they fought, the scorpion hurt him very badly so much so, that Orion was dying from his wounds.. Now, there was goddess that kind of had the hots for Orion. He never knew it though because she never told him. Orion though kept a secret too. All though all the girls liked him, he was very much in love with that same goddess. So, as he died, the Goddess felt so bad for him that she asked her father, the King of the Gods, Zeus, to put him up in the sky so, he did."

_"So they put him in the sky?" I asked._

_"Yeah." You said. "The Gods put him in the night sky so that she, and all of the people in his village, could remember his bravery and his sacrifice." _

_Then as I looked up at the sky I smiled. "I don't see Orion when I look up there."_

_"What are you talking about? He's right there." You told me as you pointed upward. "Do you see it?"_

_"No, I meant." Then as I turned to look at you I said, "I don't see Orion. I see you."_

_You looked at me with that shy smile of yours. That was an odd time in our lives. We weren't quite kids anymore and we weren't adults either. _

_Your face blushed a little and then you said with a chuckle. "Me? I'm no legend or a great hunter. I'm just me." _

_"That's what I'm going to call it from now on. I decree that this constellation is now called: Shinji the Idiot; the great bobcat slayer, rescuer of damsels in distress, protector and provider."_

_You laughed at me as I laughed with you. "Wow. Do you really see me up there instead of Orion?"_

_"Yes." I told you. "You've done so much for me, and sometimes I don't think I tell you enough that I'm glad you're here with me. Sometimes I don't think I tell you enough…. how much you mean to me. So now, every time I look up there, I'll be reminded of how much you mean to me."_

_You knew what I meant as you said. "Shinji the Idiot, huh" You asked with a chuckle. "I love it when you call me an idiot."_

_"Come here, Idiot." I said gently with a smirk._

_Then you turned to me with a smile and we kissed gently and tenderly. It was so magical. _

_The moon was so full that night. _

_The lights of the stars were shining down upon us as well, and there we were, seventeen years old, making out on the steps of that bar. We sat outside for a good, oh, three hours or so. _

_Then when we went to bed, the beer must have gotten to you because you were out like a light in a second with that dopey smile on your face as I lay next to you.._

_Back then I still had that wall up around me, denying that I loved you, denying that I wanted to be with you when all along, it was what I really wanted. I was unsure and afraid. Yet, I kept thinking to myself that I'd lose my strength if I gave into you. I think that night I let the wall down more then I wanted to._

_As we all know, that wall came crashing down when I discovered that your love was the source of my strength and I could do anything and be anyone I wanted to be._

_Those stars, the way they are twinkling in the night sky now remind of that night. _

_You were always by my side in those days and after it. I was never lonely as long as I had you. _

_Since you left this world, I miss you every day of my life. Some days I have felt so lonely. I miss having your arms around me. I miss knowing that the last face I'd see at night was yours and the first thing I'd see in the morning, was your face smiling at me._

_Why am I comparing this to now? Because staring up at that sky, I'm seeing that constellation right now and I'm not feeling so lonely._

_Even though your gone, I still feel like you're here. I feel like you're beside me now, watching over me, protecting me and just loving me like you always did_

_Shinji the Idiot, are you here now? Is that you I see up in that sky at this very moment? I miss you so much. I will every day for the rest of my life._

_I close my eyes and I can see your face. I'll do what I promised I would do, Shinji. I'll go on with my life. I will. _

_I will win this battle, I swear it to you on my life and then I'll do all of the things that I promised I would do. This tour is my last. _

_After this, I am Asuka Soryu Langely Ikari, everyday all around middle-aged woman. No more being the General. _

_I'll spend time with my children and wait for the grandchildren, and then I'll spoil those kids rotten. I'll tell them all about us, what we did, what we were like, how we fell in love, all the good times and all the bad times too. Our legacy will know where they came from. They'll know all about us, Shinji. _

_This is why we cannot lose. _

_We have to save it for the next generation of Ikari to come into this world. _

_Hope, Souke and Reina will have rich and full lives. _

_I'll give up my life for it if necessary but I'm not going to die here in the sands of this desert. No, that's not going to happen. _

_Tomorrow I am going to win. _

_I am to make SEELE rue the day they ever trespassed against our family. I am going to make them remember the name of Shinji Ikari for all of their days, and as much as I want to kill them all….I won't. _

_I'll arrest them, send them to jail and let the inmates have at them. I'll go to their trials and listen to the sentencing. I'll let the governments decide the fates of SEELE _

_I won't be the executioner._

She continued walking past soldiers who saluted her and whom she saluted back. She walked over to a nearby trailer and opened the door, walking inside of it and locking it behind her.

Breathing out, she unbuttoned her fatigue top and removed it, standing in a tan tank top with her dog tags hanging out and a small gold chain where a gold ring hung from it.

She walked over to the small bed in the trailer and sat on it, breathing out while she removed her combat boots. She lay back on the bed, stretching out her arms and allowing herself to fall into slumber while her hand clutched the gold ring that hung around her neck.

While she slept she breathed out, a word.

_"Baka."_

_**"I'm here."**_

"Stay with me." She said through her sleep.

_**"Always."**_

She began to dream of yesterday.

She had awakened to the rays of the first morning light and changed into her desert combat fatigues. She walked over to the dresser and smiled as she picked up Shinji's picture.

She traced her fingertips on the picture for a moment and then bought it to her lips as gently kissed it goodbye.

While Shinji was alive, right before she would leave to go work, she would go up to him, smile, kiss him good-bye and she cupped his cheek and then leave to go to work as he would watch her go with a wide smile.

It was something she was used to doing, so his picture now served that purpose.

She sat the picture down on her desk, smiled and then walked out of her bedroom. She had a quick cup of coffee that morning and then opened up the backdoor.

She breathed in the fresh new morning air of the dawn.

She looked out into the distance seeing the sun start to rise from behind the giant mountain that watched over the valley where she lived.

Her eyes focused to a helicopter landing in the distance as the doors to it slid open and waited for her to board.

She turned to the smiling faces of her son and daughter. Both of them hugged her. She told them both how much she loved them, how proud she was of both of them and she vowed to return.

Hope had just come out of the door, dressed in the same desert fatigues as her mother; she smiled at her. Beside Hope a handsome, tall American also dressed in combat fatigues stood beside her, holding all of the duffel bags.

Hope turned to her sister and hugged her good-bye, giving her a smile and a nod of approval. "I love you, Little Sister."

Reina smiled at her and replied. "I love you too."

Then Hope looked to her brother, her best friend, she hugged him and he told her.

"You'll do all right."

"I love you, Souke." Hope whispered as she looked into his face and placed her hand on his cheek.

"I love you too." Souke told her as he smiled bravely at her.

Then, Asuka turned towards the helicopter and breathed in as she looked back at Hope and Sawyer with a nod

Sawyer and Hope nodded back. .

Together, the three of them, The General, The Major and The Commander, walked towards the helicopter and got inside.

Asuka turned to look at her house and her two children standing in the distance waving at her.

She smiled at them and then climbed inside of the helicopter.

The doors were shut. She looked out the window, placing her hand on the glass and kept her eyes on those two smiling faces waving at her.

The helicopter lifted off of the ground. It went flying high into the sky heading towards the NERV Command Center in Kyoto.

Then, her dreams changed to something else.

She heard_. "…. What mankind has thrown out of balance, will be balanced by the destiny of one." _

She saw the day that Hope was born. She was lying in bed, covered in sweat but more happier then she had ever been in her life as she held their newborn daughter. Shinji was kneeling by the bed, looking on with her. There were tears in his eyes and a wide smile. .

Shinji had gotten her through the labor and the birth. Throughout the labor and the birth, Asuka had been, for the most part, a bitch.

When she heard the first cries from their daughter, Asuka's heart started filling with a love that was unmatched to anything she ever knew or felt before. Then, upon setting her eyes on the wailing child for the first time, she was amazed and in awe of what her and her husband had bought into this world together.

This baby was so much more then just another person. She was their hopes, their dreams, their beliefs, and all that they were. Their love had formed her and now, they could only think of one name that seemed to fit so right.

"Hope." She whispered to him as she looked into his eyes. "We could call her hope. Hope for the future. Our hope for the future."

"Yeah." Shinji had said to her with a smile. "Hope Ikari. Our Hope. I like it."

"_…. The hope of the world makes it possible for the destiny of one to be fulfilled."_

"Destiny…. of…. one. " She said through her sleep.

Then her mind shifted to Hope, as an adult, inside of the EVA screaming as loud as she could. _"Daddy…help me! Daddy, help me!" _

"No…No, not Hope...Hope…." Asuka said in a worried voice through her sleep as she tossed and turned, fighting off the nightmare that was plaguing her.

She was seeing quick images.

They came at her fast.

Asuka only knew one thing.

These images were frightening to her because with the images came the sounds of her daughter in trouble. _"…MAYDAY! MAYDAY!…"_

"No." She said through her sleep. "Shinji, no…don't…let her fall. Protect her, Shinji."

"…Daddy, don't leave me! Don't let me die alone!"

The image changed and she saw herself standing in a fog wearing her full dress uniform. It was dark and she didn't understand it.

Then as she turned, she smiled and tried running towards what she was seeing only to be stopped by an invisible barrier that wouldn't let her get through.

"Shinji!" She cried out in the dream. "Pro…. tect her…please?"

Standing beside Shinji was a little girl and as she looked at the girl, she realized whom it was she was seeing.

"I'll be okay, Mommy." The little girl told her with a bright smile while her blue eyes twinkled at her. "Daddy is by my side. The destiny of one will be met."

Asuka smiled down at her as she watched. .

Then, she saw light start to come and the ground shift to green, fresh, soft grass. She was outside and she was back home.

She was standing outside on a bright spring morning, she heard a little girl giggling and then turned.

She smiled and she laughed as she saw Shinji, in his early twenties, with a little toddler with bright red hair on his shoulders.

"What's that big thing over there called?" He asked his daughter with a smile as he pointed to the large tree in front of them.

"Thaa…..a big tree!" Hope said with a wide smile.

"What's that up there?" Shinji asked her as he pointed overhead.

"Sky!" Hope said as she looked up happily.

"What's in the sky?" He asked her.

"A birdie, Daddy." Hope said to her father.

"What's it doing?" Shinji asked her.

Hope looked up and said with the biggest smile. "FLY! I wanna fly, Daddy!"

"Do ya?" Shinji asked with a smirk.

"Yeah! Go fly, Daddy! Let's go fly!"

Taking her down from his shoulders, he held the toddler up in the air and spun around in a circle with her making noises like a plane as he smiled while she laughed loudly.

"Again, Daddy!"

"Hope, remember this okay? What mankind has thrown out of balance will be balanced by the destiny of one."

"Okay." Hope said.

"What did Daddy just say?"

"Balance by destiny of one." Hope repeated with a smile.

"That's right. Never forget it, okay? I'm gonna always tell you so you never forget it. You need to remember that. Okay, Hope?" he asked her.

"Uh huh." Hope said.

Then he smiled at her and spun her around again making her laugh loudly. Her smiled at her as he held her and listened to her laugh. Looking back at his daughter, he laughed loudly as he said to her. "Who's my princess?"

"Me! Me!" Hope said with a laugh.

"Who's that over there?" Shinji asked her as he pointed.

"Mommy!" Hope responded with a big smile and a laugh. "My Mommy!"

"Yes," he told her as he smiled back at Asuka. "Mommy."

Asuka returned his smile and her eyes shined for him. "Protect her." Asuka said to him in the dream.

_**"I will."**_

"Protect her." Asuka said through her sleep as she started to breathe heavy.

"_**I will. I swear to you. She'll be safe."**_

Asuka's breathing became normal as a smile crossed her lips and her sleep became peaceful.

"I…. love you…Shinji."

_**"I love you too."**_

(The scene talked about in this chapter, where Shinji and Asuka are sitting on the steps of the bar looking up at the stars, was in the first draft of _After Impact_ that I finished. Right before I put _After Impact_ on this site, I cut the scene out because I thought it revealed a little too much too early. When I found my first revision of After Impact the scene was in there, and I used the last part of that scene for Destiny of One. I have decided though to leave that scene is _After Impact Uncut_ when it debuts on my site in its entirety. Stay tuned we're almost to the end. As always thanks to Nic, SteamedDumpling, Maya, BigDave, Yoko, Rich, Jonny and my bud Kaji, aka Roy. Thanks to you all….Maya, good suggestion about adding in some stuff from_ After Impact_. I think people enjoyed that. Thanks for the suggestion. )


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"Isn't this against the regulations?" He asked her as he held her against him in the darkness of the tent.

"If it is…so, what?" She chuckled as she snuggled against his bare chest and ran her hand across it,

"I don't know, Major," He joked. ", Sneaking into a senior officer's quarters and then seducing him is quite an offense."

"Oh, well then I was punished well, I think." Hope chuckled.

"You know me…I like to dish out punishment."

"Then punish me all you want." Hope said with a giggle.

He smiled as he held her tighter and kissed the top of her forehead, lightly stroking her bare back with his fingertips. "We should rest. We do have to get up in about four hours from now."

"Okay." She said as she yawned slightly. "Are you worried about tomorrow?"

"Somewhat." He said as he breathed in.

She looked up at him and whispered. "We're going to win, Sawyer. We are not going to die here." She told him firmly.

"I didn't say anything about that." He said to her as he kissed her forehead.

"You thought it." Hope whispered. "I could tell."

He took a deep breath as he said. "Nothing gets past you, does it?"

"No." She told him with a smile. "Believe in me, Sawyer. I'm not going to fail."

"I do." He told her. "I believe in you. Trust in me too, Hope."

"I always will." She told him as she raised her head and stared into his eyes.

He looked back at her with a smile as he moved his hand through her hair and then drew her to him and kissed her as his arms wrapped around her.

He moved and gently turned her over, her arms wrapped around him tighter, while he parted from her lips and stared into her face.

"I'm never leaving you." Sawyer said to her as he stroked her face. "I don't care what may happen, I'm never going to leave you. I'm in this for as long as you want me to be."

"What are you saying?" Hope asked him.

"I'm saying…that I want to be with you for the rest of my life." Sawyer said to her as his blue eyes danced for her in the darkness.

Hope smiled at him and breathed out. "You…. you're serious, aren't you?"

"Will you marry me?"

"Sawyer…"

"Just say yes." He whispered. "I'll do it formally when we get back but right now, I just…I just had to. I know it sounds crazy. We just met basically but I am so in love with you. I want that for the rest of my life. I know you and me are meant to be together. There's no doubt in my mind."

"Yes." Hope said to him. "I will marry you."

He smiled at her and kissed her and she wrapped her arms around him and giggled.

"I swear to you, Hope, after this is all over, I am going to retire from the CIA. We'll live in Japan or anywhere in the world that you want. Maybe I'll run a business somewhere, like an airline, I have enough capital for that, and you can fly the planes. Then, I can be your husband and maybe have a couple of kids too."

Hope looked at him with a wide smile and a laugh. "Wow, this is…. incredible." She told him as her eyes contained tears of happiness. "Tell me I'm not dreaming right now."

"This is as real as it gets. I know what I want and what I want is you. I want us to have a life together that goes to the end of our days."

"Sawyer…. I… love you, Sawyer." She whispered to him as she held him.

"I love you too." He told her.

Their lips met once more. In the dead of the desert night, a passionate fire to be raged between them both.

They both didn't know what to expect tomorrow and so for now, this moment was golden and they both reveled in it.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Asuka awoke to the morning light. She was never one for sleeping past dawn.

Three years in the wilderness had conditioned her and Shinji to wake up with the first rays of the new morning.

Quickly taking a shower, Asuka changed into her desert fatigues and armed herself as she exited her trailer and watched the sun come up over the horizon.

She continued walking into the Command Hub and saw people hurrying about while in front of her a large screen showed the area that they had under surveillance.

She picked up a cup of coffee and seated herself at, what she was calling, her desk. Placing a headset on her head, she spoke.

"Report!"

"No change." Sawyer Dell reported as his image popped up in front of her. "It seems all calm right now. We haven't detected any movement at this location either, no harmonics shift, no AT field. Its been pretty much quiet since yesterday."

"They're waiting us out." Asuka said as she leaned back in her chair. "I feel like this is the calm before the storm. Keep monitoring. If there's any change report to me immediately."

"Acknowledged, General." Sawyer told her.

"Ikari out." Asuka said as she picked up her coffee and sipped on it as she turned to the monitor_. Too quiet,_ she thought, _its too damned quiet for my tastes_.

As she sat in her chair, she heard over her headset.

"General Ikari, incoming transmission from General Harris."

Asuka rolled her eyes as she said. "Put him through." Taking a breath she said into her headset. "Good morning, General Harris."

"Same to you, General Ikari." Harris' said as his image popped up. "We've been monitoring the base consistently over the last twenty four hours since you landed. There has been no change in movement. It remains silent."

"I have observed the same." Asuka said. "It's making me uneasy, Harris. It shouldn't be this quiet. This is the first time in over forty-eight hours that this area has gone completely silent. They have to know we're out here."

"That indeed could be possibility." Harris said. "In observing their movements, I would say that they are indeed planning something."

"I feel the same way." Asuka said. "What do you advise at this point?"

"I would send in a small strike team to investigate. If they make a move, we should send in our second wave to strike."

"That's too risky." Asuka said. "I am uncomfortable with using my strike teams as bait so that the mouse will come out of the hole."

"If we do nothing, we could be playing right into their hands." Harris said. "Perhaps this is why an American commander would be best suited in this situation."

Asuka narrowed her eyes but remained calm as she said. "Its not that at all, General Harris," she said as she sipped her coffee. ", It's the fact that I am very uncomfortable with a loss of life factor. If I send in a strike team, they could potentially be in danger."

"This is war, General Ikari." General Harris told her. "In war there are casualties."

"Yes, I realize that." General Ikari said firmly. "However, I am not one to incur these casualties so easily."

"Very well. We will continue to monitor and supply you any new data that we receive. Harris out."

_Pompous bastard_, Asuka thought as the screen blinked out_. Send in the strike team now? No, I'm not comfortable with that at all. However, air reconnaissance would be much better. I doubt there would much danger there_."

"Command Hub to Squadron Command." Asuka said into her headset.

"This is Squadron Command go ahead, General Ikari."

"Squadron Commander, send up two Eagle Eyes to observe."

"Acknowledged. Squadron Command out."

Asuka leaned back in her desk as she watched the read out on the display.

"Time to target?" She asked.

"T-minus three minutes." Reported the pilot from his jet.

"Acknowledged. Give me a full report." She said as she sipped her coffee and watched the screen carefully.

"Understood." The pilot said.

_This is strange_, she thought. _I have an odd feeling._


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Sawyer Dell stood in front of the screens at NERV Command wearing his combat fatigues. He was fully armed with a pistol as his side arm. He wore his headset and carefully paid attention to the screens in front of him.

_This is too odd_, he thought to himself. _Its too quiet. I can understand why Asuka is sending in reconnaissance. I wouldn't mind getting into the mix though; a little action would be good right about now.._

A few minutes later, Major Ikari walked into the Command Center. Sawyer turned his head and smiled as he saw her.

She was dressed in her red and gray plug suit with her pistol as her sidearm as well. Sawyer paid careful attention to the way the uniform hugged her body and smiled. _Damn, she looks good in that_.

As she came over to him, she picked up a cup of coffee and looked at the monitors having the same uneasy feeling that he did.

"What's the status so far?" She asked.

"Its been quiet." He said to her as he leaned over on the desk.

"Too quiet though." Hope said as she saw on one of the screen showed two jets in the air.. "She's sending in reconnaissance?"

"Yes." Sawyer responded. "She's uncomfortable. I don't blame her. This is the first time that this area has been totally quiet. Its too unusual."

"From my experience," Hope said. ", When its calm, that's when the storm hits."

"Your mother said the exact same thing." Sawyer said with a smirk as he looked at her.

"Do you think she'll send in the strike teams?" Hope asked.

"I'm not sure." He responded. "If so, I'll do what I have to."

Hope breathed in with a pit forming in her stomach. "Don't be a hero."

Sawyer looked at her as he straightened up and stood beside her, gently reaching for her hand and saying softly. "I'll do what I need to. We both have to. Right now, we have to concentrate on what's at hand. We'll be okay."

"I know." Hope said softly as she looked up at him.

"Report, Eagle Eye." Asuka's voice said over the relay.

"We are overhead now." The pilot's voice sounded over the relay. ", We're sending you a live shot of the area."

The screen flickered as Sawyer and Hope observed from the pilot's view a structure surrounded by a thick wall. They noticed some people on the ground moving about but for the most part it was quiet.

"Its pretty much dead." The pilot said. "Nothing really to report on. Energy readings are nominal. There's nothing really going on here…wait…wait…. General

, we're getting something now…."

"What is it?" Asuka's voice asked.

"It's a energy signature of some type. We're scanning now. Relaying data to NERV Command."

"Command to Dr. Ibuki." Sawyer said into his headset.

"Dr. Ibuki." She responded.

"Check the data being sent over from Eagle Eye." Sawyer said. "There's an energy signature that's being scanned. We need you to analyze it."

"Roger. Checking now."

A few minutes later, Dr. Ibuki shouted. "GENERAL IKARI, GET THEM OUT OF THERE NOW!"

"Report!" Asuka demanded.

"ASUKA, ITS AN AT FIELD BUILDING UP TO DETNATION! GET THEM OUT NOW!"

"Eagle Eye this is NERV Command, pull back! Repeat pull back!"

"Roger." The pilot said.

"Commander!" Lt. Fuki said from his terminal as he looked up towards the screen. ", we have confirmation…..there is a threat…..both Eagle Eyes are being targeted……"

"EAGLE EYE BUG OUT!" Asuka yelled out over the relay.

"Acknowledged." The pilot said.

Loud klaxons sounded.

Hope Ikari stood next to Sawyer Dell and fixed her eyes upon the screen, her eyes widening as she saw the read-out.

"General Ikari!"

"Yes, Dr. Ibuki!"

"We have a problem…"

"What now?" Asuka growled.

Her answer came in the form of klaxons sounding loudly and a red siren sounding.

"CODE RED. AT FIELD DETECTED. CODE RED. AT FIELD DETECTED! WARNING: AT FIELD DETECTED. CODE RED – HOSTILE ENGAGING. WARNING: AT FIELD DETECTED. ALL PERSONELL STANDBY"

Asuka breathed in as she knew what she had to do.

"What is it, Sawyer?" Hope asked.

"Eagle Eye to Command…it just came out of nowhere and its in pursuit."

Sawyer took a deep breath as he looked at the read-out on his terminal and then back at Hope.

"Eagle Eye get out of there!" Asuka yelled.

"COMMAND, HOSTILE ENGAGING US! REPEAT! HOSTILE ENGAGING US!"

"Get out of there!" Asuka yelled. "Strike team prepare for detachment!"

"Acknowledged." Sawyer said.

"Sawyer?" Hope asked as she looked at him worriedly.

"Commander," Dr. Ibuki said. ", we have confirmation on source of AT field. Readings are unmistakable. It appears to be_…. an angel_."

"A what?" Hope asked.

"Are you sure?" Asuka asked.

"Confirmed." Dr. Ibuki said over the relay.

"Eagle Eye, are you clear?" Asuka asked.

"Negative. Hostile in pursuit."

"On screen!" Sawyer demanded.

The screen flicked showing Eagle Eye flying away from the scene and behind it a giant, perfectly circular glowing ball of white-hot energy pursuing it.

"Oh my God." Hope said.

"An angel." Sawyer repeated.

"An angel? SEELE did this?" Hope asked as she stared up at the screen.

"NERV COMMAND…. WE ARE BEING ATTAC…"

A loud, strange piercing screech echoed through the speakers and everyone's headsets as every person in that room cringed from the sound of it. It was deafening and horrifying. Then the sounds of a man screaming in terror accompanied it.

After that, silence……….. as Eagle Eye disappeared from the screen.

"Eagle Eye respond!" Asuka demanded over the relay.

"Hostile has destroyed Eagle Eye." Lt. Fuki said

"General Ikari." Dr. Ibuki said over the relay. ", If these readings are correct then this entity, code name Angel 20, is getting larger."

"Explain." Asuka said.

"Its absorbing energy and able to convert it into an energy it needs for itself.. After it destroyed the jet, it appeared to have absorbed it completely. The AT field has since doubled. " Ibuki said. "This is no ordinary angel."

"Give me a visual." Asuka demanded.

"What the hell is it doing?" Hope asked as she stared up at the screen and watched as Angel 20 changed into a form,

"Report on Hostile!" Asuka demanded.

Hope took a deep breath as she looked at the screen and then said to the officers manning the terminals. "Do we have a better visual of the hostile?"

"It's coming in now." Lt. Fuki said as he bought up the image on screen.

Sawyer and Hope both felt uneasy as they saw it.

"Oh my God." Hope said as she swallowed hard and felt her fists tightened. "What is that?" Hope asked. "Have you ever seen anything like that before?"

Sawyer shook his head. "No."

"Oh my God, Sawyer…." Hope said as she looked at the entity on the screen.

"Classification report." Sawyer said.

"It has a high AT field output. Its basically pure energy." Dr. Ibuki stated.

"How were they able to do this?" Hope asked.

"Beats me." Sawyer said angrily.

"It looks like its turning into…an EVA." Asuka said with a bit of anger.

"What are your orders, General?" Sawyer asked. "Should the strike team move in?"

Asuka was silent for a minute and then replied. "STRIKE TEAMS GO! Commander Dell, report to detachment crew."

"Acknowledged." He said.

"Sawyer!" Hope said as she grabbed his arm.

"It'll be all right." He told her gently.

Hope looked back into his eyes. "Sawyer…" she said in a whisper as her voice trailed off.

Sawyer smiled gently at her as his blue eyes were dancing for her as they always.

She looked back to him wanting to say so much but the words were lost in her throat.

"I love you, Hope Ikari." Sawyer told her gently as he looked into her eyes.

She smiled bravely. "Sawyer." She whispered.

Sawyer put his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers. Not caring about military protocol or what anyone thought for that matter, they kissed tenderly as they both held onto one another.

"I love you." She whispered to him as their lips parted. _Come back to me. _She thought as she watched him go.

Then quickly, Sawyer Dell walked out of the Command Center while Hope nervously focused on the screen in front of her.

"Major Ikari."

"Yes, General."

Asuka was silent for a minute and then said firmly. "Report to EVA Unit 1."

"Yes, General." Hope said as she walked over to a door over to the side of the command center and pressed a button.

"IDENTIFICATION. PLEASE CONFIRM?"

"Major Hope Ikari." She said flatly as a red beam ran across her face and then a beep sounded.

"MAJOR HOPE IKARI. CONFIRMED. ACCEPTED."

The door opened up and Hope stepped inside taking a deep breath.

"STATE DESTINATION, MAJOR."

"EVA Unit 1." She said.

"ACCEPTED."

The elevator proceeded downward and Hope felt her heart beating rapidly inside of her as her fists opened and closed.

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath exhaling slowly as the doors opened.

Hope stepped out of the elevator and walked along a metal bridge and stopped as she stood in front of the huge purple and green mecha in front of her, waiting for its pilot.

Looking up at it, she said firmly. **_"I'm here."_**

The EVA's eyes opened, glowing with a white-hot light..

Hope took another breath as she stared up at it and said. "For the hope of the world, EVA, with all of my strength."

Then she stepped into the transfer tube as its doors shut and she found herself being thrust into the bioplug that connected into EVA Unit 1.

Hope quickly seated herself in the pilot seat and then said into her headset. "Begin pre-launch sequence. Commence sync activation on my mark. Mark."

"Acknowledged." NERV Command said as LCL began to flood her compartment.

Hope shut her eyes as she felt the liquid fill the cabin and within seconds it had dissipated.

"Sync activated. You are at 100 percent, Major. You are in the Green Zone."

"Unit 1, control panel." Hope ordered. In front of her several screens appeared and she braced herself in the EVA "Control, ready for launch!"

"Major Ikari."

"Yes, General?" Hope asked.

"We need to you hold off the angel so we can send in the first strike team. Can you do that?"

"Understood, General." Hope said as she turned to walk away

"Hope?" Asuka's voice was gentler this time.

"Yes, Mama?" Hope asked.

"Be careful." Asuka told her.

"I will. Dad is on my side, Mom. I can't go wrong." She said as she clutched the necklace that hung around her neck.

"I know." Asuka said to her, then Asuka's voice shifted back to that of the commander. . "Major, prepare for launch."

"Roger, General." Hope said firmly.

"T-minus 10…9…8…7…"

_This is what I've been preparing for, training for, this is the moment I've waited for all of my life. _

_Dad, please be with me today. I need your guidance and your wisdom to get me through this._

_Mama, I love you. You're my inspiration in life. I won't let you down today. I promise. _

_Souke. Reina. Uncle Touji. I love you all. _

"…5…4…3…"

_Sawyer, my love, be careful. Come back to me. We have to live up to what we promised each other. We have dreams we need to fulfill. _

_Today is the day. This madness ends today. I will…win! _

_For the hope of the world, I am the hope of the future. That is my name. That is my purpose. What mankind has thrown out of balance will be balanced by the destiny of one. I remember, Dad._

"…2…1…0…CLEAR!"

"I know you're with me, Dad." Hope said as she breathed in. "Let's do this together."

_**"Okay."**_

"LAUNCH EVA!" Asuka called out from the Command Hub as she watched on screen as the EVA screamed through the launch tube towards the surface.

Looking up at the screen, Asuka thought to herself. _Protect her, Shinji. Please, protect her. _

_**"I will."**_

(I'm very sorry. You all must hate me right about now. I know I left you at a cliffhanger. I need to go over the next section before I can upload it. The proofreader thought it was cool but I just want to take a once over and make sure its what you expect it to be. Okay, out of curiosity…how many of you have an idea what's going to happen next? I'll post more on the weekend. I promise. See ya again real soon. PS Do you want to know how I came up with Sawyer Dell's name? My computer desk is made by SAWYER and my computer is A DELL. When I heard the two names together, I said Sawyer Dell? That sounds like a corporation but I like it.)


	39. Chapter 39

(Nic2951 gave me a GREAT idea. He wrote me in an email and said, "I hope nothing happens to Dell. I don't think Hope could take it." You know something, neither did I. So in my twisted, evil little mind I wrote this scene. Don't worry though, Sawyer is the man of steel…or is he? Either way, enjoy. Nic, my friend, this chapter goes out to you. Thanks. And now onto the next update…ACTION!

Sawyer: HEY! MY COFFEE BREAK'S NOT OVER…uh…. where's my gun?

J.Alana1: GET YOUR ASS OUT THERE NOW!

Sawyer: Who do you think you are? General Asuka? I told you! My coffee break isn't over yet. Somebody get my agent on the phone!

J.Alana; Keep it up and I'll make Angel 20 blast your ass.

Sawyer: Okay, I'm going. Sheesh! What a grouch!

(I'm just being silly….okay, now onto the update.)

---

Chapter 39

Sawyer Dell was in the desert behind a bunker of sand as he watched through binoculars the huge white structure surrounded by a ten-foot wall.

He lowered his binoculars as he fixed his eyes on the structure. On his head, he wore a battle helmet with his headset attached inside of it. On his back he had a semi-automatic particle rifle with a scope attached to it.

"Report, Commander?"

"General Ikari, we are not detecting any movement. There is no sign of the hostile in site. Its quiet."

"Keep observing."

"Roger." Sawyer told her as he looked around.

Sawyer looked to the soldier who was holding a rifle in his hands and aiming at the structure. "What do you think?"

"This is too damn peculiar." A soldier sitting next to Sawyer said.

"My feelings exactly. I wonder where this thing is." Sawyer said. "It just…. up and left without a trace…too strange for my tastes."

"I know what you mean. I feel like we are dealing with a ghost here." The soldier responded.

"COMMANDER!"

Sawyer turned and then gunshots were fired.

"Shit!" Sawyer said as he quickly backed down behind the sand bunker, pulling his own rifle from off of his shoulder and feeling his heart beat rapidly as he engaged the safety to off, holding it in his hands..

Gunfire erupted everywhere and shells went off nearby as sand flew up in all different directions.

As Sawyer was scrunched down behind the bunker, he turned to see a soldier shot in the head directly in front of him. His eyes widened and it fueled him with rage.

"GENERAL IKARI, WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! REPEAT! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!" Sawyer called out.

"Hold your position." General Ikari ordered. "Do not advance until I give the order."

"Acknowledged." Sawyer said as he leaned forward with his rifle and began firing his rifle.

Several men stood from behind the wall, firing back at them. Many fell from being shot.

"INCOMING!"

Sawyer turned upward and quickly, grabbing the soldier beside him jumped out of the way just as a large energy discharge hit.

Sawyer shielded the man away from the blast and then turned his head. "GENERAL IKARI, THEY'RE USING PARTICLE WEAPONS. TELL THE HORIZON TO OPEN FIRE!"

"Acknowledged." General Ikari said. "Get to a safe distance!"

"Understood!" Sawyer yelled out. "STRIKE TEAM FALL BACK!" Sawyer yelled out as he and the other men quickly ran far back, heading behind a large dune.

Sawyer breathed heavy as he looked around, grabbing his rifle, aiming at the hostiles and then firing.

He heard over the radio. "_USS Horizon, this is General Ikari. Engage enemy. Repeat engage enemy. Strike team is being attacked_."

Minutes later, a large energy discharge struck the structure causing a loud explosion.

"STRIKE TEAM…TARGET HAS BEEN HIT…. GO!" General Ikari called out over her radio.

"Acknowledged." Sawyer said back as he continued to fire.

Sawyer and his strike team moved forward, firing at the enemy as they approached.

The enemy was weakened from the blast incurred by the Horizon. The remaining group of hostiles at the structure continued firing at the strike team who bravely advanced forward.

Sawyer ran towards the wall, firing at the men who were at the top of the wall. "GO!" Sawyer yelled out as he moved his arm forward, his team moved ahead and they all ran in. Backing against the wall, two men form his team fixed explosives to the gate.

Seconds later, the gate was blasted open and the strike team moved forward.

There was a large white building in the center of this structure. Men in gray uniforms fired at the strike team and charged at them in hand-to-hand combat.

Sawyer saw a Middle Eastern man come at him with what looked like an old fashioned rifle with a bayonet attached to it. Holding his rifle he fired at the man, stopping him in his tracks.

Other men in gray uniforms began to come out from the sides of the structure and came at them fiercely,

Sawyer fired again and then used the butt of his rifle to make contact with the one the faces of the attackers.

"ADVANCE FORWARD!" Sawyer yelled out as they ran towards the structure and fired on the doors, blasting them open.

Another man came at him with a knife in which Sawyer reared back and punched the man dead in the face, sending him down.

The strike team ran to the white building with their guns drawn. Sawyer kicked in the door and then they moved in.

As they came into the building, they noticed the room was completely empty…

"What the…"

Then as Sawyer turned, he heard steady beeping and he breathed in as he yelled out.

"FALL BACK! IT'S A TRAP! GET OUT OF HERE! FALL BACK NOW!" He yelled as he ran out of the structure.

The strike team began to retreat as quickly as they could.

Sawyer turned to look back and his eyes widened 

There was a loud explosion.

Asuka heard the sounds of men crying out in pain over the relay and saw a scene that was hellish. The area was completely engulfed in flames.

"General Ikari!" a man over the radio shouted. "We were set up. Many are wounded. Commander Dell is down! We are requesting assist..."

"SAWYER!" Asuka yelled out over the relay as the screen went to static..

A/N:

Sawyer: Oh gee, thanks a lot now I've bit the dust…. that sucks.

J.Alana1: Knock it off. I'm not done with the book yet.

Sawyer: Oh yeah, that's right! Yay, I still might be alive.

J.Alana1: You know something? You're a lot smarter in the book.

Sawyer: Heh heh. You wrote me that way!

J.Alana1: Shut up!

Hope: Anybody know where the donuts are?

J.Alana1: Souke ate them.

Sawyer: Damn you, Souke! Now we have no more donuts.

Souke: Ah, shaddup!

(Okay, I was just being silly. I promise no more of that.)

Shinji: That's a relief.

J.Alana1: Shut up! You're dead.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

"Command Hub to Unit 1."

"Major Ikari. Go ahead, General." Hope said as Asuka'a image flashed on the screen.

"Do you have a fix on the Hostile yet?" Asuka asked as she breathed in.

"Yes, General. I am in pursuit. ETA to target one minute."

"Engage target and fire at will." Asuka ordered.

As Hope studied her mother's face, she could see that there was tension on the General's face. _As much as you think you're good at covering up, Ma, I know better. Something's up._ "General, what is the status of the strike team?" Hope asked.

"MAJOR IKARI, FOCUS ON ENGAGING THE TARGET." Asuka told her firmly as her face became even more rigid and tense.

_Something's wrong._ Hope thought. "Understood." Hope told her. "Major Ikari, out" 

Asuka's image blinked out and Hope breathed in deeply as she focused on her task.

The EVA charged across the desert landscape. Sand blew in every direction as the hot sun beat down on them.

As Hope looked at the display she saw on the read out.

"TARGET IDENTIFIED."

Hope turned her head and there she saw it…and it was terrifying.

It stood as tall as her Evangelion Unit. It was completely white and burned with a white-hot intensity. It was shaped almost exactly like an EVA and Hope stared it.

_Oh holy Hell_, Hope thought as she saw the hostile.

Then directly behind it, she saw the base that the strike team invaded but there was:

Fire.

"Sawyer…" She breathed out as her eyes widened. _Oh God, no! Not this again! Not again…not him…please, not Sawyer…why? WHY?_

Explosions.

"Major Ikari to Commander Dell, respond! Answer me, Sawyer! SAWYER!"

"MAJOR IKARI!" Asuka's voice sounded sharply as her image came up on the screen. "ENGAGE TARGET AND FIRE AT WILL."

"Ma…" Hope said as her face trailed off. "…Sawyer!" Hope called out as her eyes widened.

"FOCUS, HOPE!" Asuka said firmly. "YOU HAVE TO! DO YOUR DUTY, MAJOR. THAT'S HOW YOU CAN HELP SAWYER NOW. FOCUS ON YOUR DUTY! THAT IS AN ORDER!"

Hope could see bodies lying in the desert. She breathed in as she said to the EVA. "EVA, lock on grid 6A and magnify."

The image on the screen became clearer and Hope tensed as she saw dead bodies everywhere. She saw some of the bodies were badly mutilated and her heart jumped into her throat.

No, this can't be. This can't be. Sawyer made it out. He had to have. He's…safe. No, don't think about it. He's okay. He has to be.

"MAJOR IKARI, ACKOWLEDGE!" General Ikari said loudly. "YOU ARE ORDERED TO ENGAGE TARGET AND FIRE AT WILL…STOP THE HOSTILE, HOPE. YOU HAVE TO."

Hope's eyes shut as he felt her heart weighing heavily. She opened her eyes slowly as she saw the huge white fort now in flames, burning with a large fire, explosions went off and on the ground some men were running away.

Hope's eyes widened as she saw these men running for their lives while gunfire erupted violently

"MAJOR IKARI, DO YOU COPY?" Asuka asked in a worried voice as she looked at Hope through the relay..

_Concentrate, Major. Fight back. Don't let it get to you. Focus, Major. You're stronger then this. You have to be. Do it for Sawyer and the world. Make fucking SEELE pay. They took Isao from you. They took your father and if they took Sawyer away, then don't let them take you away too. THEY ARE GONG TO FUCKING DIE_!

Hope's face crossed into a scowl as she turned to the image of her mother and said firmly. "General Ikari, this is Major Ikari. I copy and acknowledge. Engaging target."

Hope breathed in and gripped the controls. "Dad, help me through this." She whispered aloud. "UNIT 1, ENGAGE TARGET!" She called out as unyielding rage pulsed through her.

_You son of a bitch! _She charged at the entity with everything she was and struck it hard with all of her strength and fire pulsing through her.

She continued to pursue the Angel, fighting it with everything she was, letting her anger and her pain fuel her.

She fired her particle rifle at it several times and unleashed her own AT field and pushed the Angel back.

"SEELE YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" She growled. "YOU'LL PAY FOR ALL OF THEM! BASTARDS!"

She went after it again.

This time as her eyes was full of fury and hatred, she poured her rage into her strength and made it go through Unit 1.. _I will kill you, you son of a bitch! You will all rot in hell after I am done with you! Trespass against me or my own? You'll pay with your life! _

"Take this, Schwanzlutscher!" She yelled out with vehemence and ire.

She charged at Angle 20 full force and came down upon it fast with the EVA's arm and it went…right through Angel 20.

_What the hell?_

Then, she saw Angel 20 rush at her and Hope engaged her particle rifle as she fired.

Nothing happened.

Her eyes widened and sweat poured down her face.

The Angel rushed at her in what seemed like a second with blinding fast speed..

"Major Ikari, status………"

Hope shrieked and everything shook violently.

(A/N: I'll bet you didn't know that I knew how to curse in German, did you? Well, I'll be honest. I don't. To find some interesting choice words, I use Swearmonger. It's a great site full of insults, quick witted one-liners and best of all you can curse at anybody in any foreign language especially German. Perfect for Asuka's dirty mouth and it appears that Hope got that trait from her mother as well. If you want the site, I'll email it to you. Perfect for when you're looking for the perfect swear word to describe Asuka's feelings for Shinji. Now back to the fic. As always, special thanks to Nic, SteamedDumpling, Big Dave, Ari, Logan, Mike and JoJo. We're getting closer to the end, I promise you. I "hope" you like what's coming up next.)


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

"MAJOR IKARI!' Asuka yelled out as the screen went to static and communications were caught off. "GET ME UNIT 1 NOW!" She yelled out.

"Negative, General." Her communications officer responded. "Communications are being jammed."

"COMMANDER DELL, RESPOND!" General Ikari yelled out as she stood up from her chair. "STRIKE TEAM RESPOND!"

Asuka's eyes got wide as she looked up at the monitor and felt her heart beating rapidly. "Son of a bitch!" She growled. "REPORT! Give me a visual on the strike team."

The screen flickered as Asuka's eyes widened as she saw what was happening.

_Explosions._

_Fire._

_Men running for their lives._

_Gunfire wounding them._

_The dead being left behind._

"Get me, Commander Dell!" Asuka demanded.

"General, no response!" Her communications officer said. "Tracking not responding. Commander Dell is offline."

"Get me a communications with EVA Unit 1!" Asuka demanded.

"General," her communications officer said. ", no response."

"GET ME COMMUNICATIONS NOW!" Asuka growled.

"Negative, General. Communications are not responding! Communications are being jammed! We can't get through!"

"General Ikari, I have a satellite relay coming through. I have a visual on Unit 1." Another officer said.

The screen shifted as Asuka felt her heart nearly stop. The EVA and Angel 20 were battling each other.

Angel 20 kept knocking the EVA down into the sands of the desert but the EVA was getting back up.

_Hope, my God_. Asuka thought as she swallowed hard.

A particle rifle fired from Unit 1 into the Angel and it went right through it..

_What in the fuck are we dealing with? _Asuka thought to herself. _How the fuck was this accomplished? Who the fuck gave them this technology? There's only way they could have designed an angel…..the Magi databanks. The databanks contained all of the research of Yui and Gendo Ikari. Ritzko's work was in there. If SEELE was able to create an EVA/Angel hybrid then we're all fucked. In order for SEELE to get that data, they would need someone with a high security clearance, someone who is actively involved in the on goings of the UN and the US. I am one of those people. The President is another, there are quite a few….but then…..of course! It's right in front of my face! It has to be! He's the perfect one. He has access to government intelligence, he has clout with several foreign dignitaries and he's known to be obsessed with power. It has to be him. _

_There are very few people in the world with access to the Magi now. I'm one of them. Somebody is a fucking traitor! I have an idea who. I need more proof though. This is a major accusation and Harris is in a position of power. I have to be careful. It makes sense though, he's a power hungry, relentless pompous fat assed bastard. If it is him, he will pay for it all. _

Asuka watched helplessly as Unit 1 seemed to be no match for this enemy and what was worse was the pilot was no ordinary pilot, it was her daughter.

_Fight back, Hope_, Asuka thought. _Fight back_.

Asuka looked at the communications officer nervously and then breathed in as she said. "Get me communications with somebody NOW!"

"General, signals are being jammed."

"By whom?" Asuka asked.

"Unknown. Energy signal is unknown. We can't ascertain its location or signature…. its completely cutting us off. We only have visual."

"Verdammter Mist!" Asuka seethed. _She wasn't ready for this! I hope to God she doesn't think something happened with Sawyer. I can't communicate her! I can't help her. I can't comfort her. Damnit, Shinji I wish you were here. Protect her, Shinji. Please protect our daughter. She needs us. I can feel it. Damnit to hell! Fucking SEELE! If I am right who I am thinking is behind this all, I will especially take my time in destroying you most of all! I am going to destroy SEELE for this!_

Seconds later, an image popped up on the screen, showing the angry face of General Harris.

"GENERAL IKARI, WHAT IS GOING ON?"

_Fuck._ Asuka thought as she saw the face of General Harris yelling at her through the monitor. _Not you, Harris. Not now. You fat-assed, pompous son of a bitch_, _you're probably gloating over this right now, aren't you? If I am right about you, you die today, Schleimscheißer! _

"General Harris, strike team has been engaged by hostile." General Ikari said firmly. "Apparently, we've been set up! We have lost communications with our strike team and Unit 1 it appears that our signals are being jammed…"

"This is your fault, Ikari!" Harris snapped. "You should have ascertained whether or not this was a viable threat! Your incompetence will cost them their lives!"

"I exercised proper judgment!" Asuka said angrily. _You're the one who probably did this, Harris! If you sacrificed all those lives then death won't be good enough for you! If my daughter dies in battle today, you'll wish you never knew me. I'll take my time in slaughtering your fat ass! Du fauler Sack! _

Regaining her composure, Asuka said firmly. "I did what was necessary. The hostile engaged our spy plane. The hostile was on the attack. Strike teams had to be sent in. I hardly think that is incompetence, General!" General Ikari snapped.

"I'm calling the UN. I'm recommended you be removed from Command for lack of leadership! I'm on my way there now, General Ikari! Perhaps, they'll let a real commander take control. I'm going to make sure you are held responsible for this!" Harris growled.

"Do whatever you want. At this moment, I am the commander of this mission and I will decide its best course of action! Ikari out." Asuka said firmly as the screen blinked out.

"General Ikari, General Harris on the relay."

"Tell him I'm busy!" Asuka snapped as she looked up at the screen. "Ascertain location of the strike team and make contact!"

"No signal." The communications officer responded.

"FIND ONE!" Asuka barked. "I don't care if you have to send up goddamned Morse code or a fucking smoke signal! Find a signal and make contact!"

(A/N: Asuka's getting just a bit pissed off now, don't you think?)


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

The door to the NERV Command Center flew open and everyone stood up from their chairs as they saw a very angry, tired and frustrated man walk in.

He was dressed in battle fatigues with a particle rifle on his back and a pistol as his sidearm. He was covered in dust and dirt from head to toe.

He walked to the terminal and removed his helmet as he put on his headset and said. "Commander Dell to General Ikari."

"Sawyer?" Asuka asked as her image popped up on the screen.

"Yes." He responded.

"Sawyer, are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Sawyer said angrily. "We were set up. That's the only answer for this."

"I agree." Asuka said firmly. "How did you get out?"

"By blind luck." He told her.

"What's the condition of the strike team, Sawyer?" Asuka asked.

"Most of them are dead." Sawyer said flatly.

"Sawyer, I can't apologize enough…we were all taken surprise…I hope it doesn't undermine your faith in my leadership…."

"Not for a second." He told her with a smile. "Its not your fault." He told her. "We need to find these bastards and stop them! I'm just angry that they took us by surprise. They knew our plan perfectly. It was like they had our plan. They knew our formations."

"I had that same feeling." Asuka said. "It was almost like they could sense exactly where we were and almost as if they had a heads up about a battle plan. There are very few ways that could happen."

"There is one way." Sawyer said as he looked at her. "A leak, General. Someone knows our battle plan. Someone wants to undermine us and distract us from the real reason. We were baited to come out here. Perhaps, Asuka, we were the ones who were really the mice in the hole and they were trying to coax us out."

"Sawyer, get to a closed room and contact me on a secure channel. I need to talk to you." Asuka said firmly.

"Understood." He said as he walked over to his command center and walked through the automatically operated opaque door as he sat at his desk and contacted General Ikari on a closed signal.

"Sawyer, right now, we're on a closed channel. Nobody can monitor us at all." Asuka said.

"What's going on, Asuka?"

"I think General Harris is behind this." Asuka said firmly.

"General Harris?" Sawyer asked. "Asuka, I know how you feel about him. I know you hate the fat bastard but he's been decorated several times for intelligence reconisssance! He's one of the Joint Chiefs! Granted, I hate his ass too but when it comes down to the brass tacks, Harris is one of our best unfortunately. Asuka, where's your proof?"

"Call it intuition." Asuka said. "Very few people have access to the Magi databanks. The knowledge of creating an EVA and all data that NERV recovered from prior angel attacks are in there. I have access to it, the President does, the Japanese Prime Minister and among the others in the world who have been trusted with it, General Harris does as well.."

"Are you inferring that…General Harris is part of…SEELE?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Asuka said firmly.

"Asuka, forgive me for saying this." Sawyer began as he took a deep breath. ", but General Harris couldn't be part of SEELE. I've been monitoring them closely for years."

"Yes, I know, Sawyer." Asuka said. "Who did you originally relay that information to about SEELE? Why was information ignored and pushed under the rug for six months before these little things started occurring? Why is it General Harris knows the movements of SEELE so well? Why is it that only General Harris knows key information about SEELE? It makes sense, Sawyer."

"He would know our strike team formations He would be able to…Asuka, its seems too unreal. General Harris? Of all people, Asuka, he's dedicated his life to the military. The President doesn't like him either but he respects him for his work! Aside from that, General Harris has won several honors! He has a Purple Heart. He was one of the few men that maintained order in the streets during the Third Impact riots. He's received the Medal of Valor."

"Sawyer, do you trust me?" Asuka asked.

"Yes." He said to her.

"Then believe me. I know this is a fact. I have a feeling. It makes sense, Sawyer." Asuka told him. "Think about it, Sawyer. Look beyond the medals, and the past, look at how he systematically has been able to control the flow of intelligence. Look at the way, he's suddenly become the hero and look at his rise to power. Wasn't Harris the secondary choice for one of the Joint Chiefs?"

"Yes." Sawyer said as he breathed in. "The first choice was killed in a boating accident but it was because of a freak accident. General Tully, the first choice, was stranded on his boat during a storm. It was purely coincidental that Harris took that seat. General Harris does control most of the intelligence that we receive…. if he's a traitor, Asuka…then, he's sacrificed so many lives."

"Sawyer, we need proof. We have to try and prove this." Asuka said firmly.

"How?" Sawyer asked.

"I have no idea." Asuka told him. "We need to find something."

"General Ikari, something is troubling me."

"What is it?" Asuka asked.

"Well," he said as he leaned back in his chair. "They knew the way we were going to go in. This wasn't a direct attack, General. This was a diversion. They're after something. If they really were after us, it would have been more covert. They wouldn't' have made the attack so obvious. It was almost like we were…. baited. I have a feeling SEELE is after something."

"I've had that feeling." Asuka said. "What would they be after?"

Then Sawyer's eyes widened as the screen flickered in front of him and he yelled out. "HOPE!"

"Sawyer, I know what they're after!" Asuka said. "The merging of EVA and angel…to bring about…. oh my God! Its Hope they've been after! They want Unit 1! Sawyer, they are trying to bring about Fourth Impact through the merging of EVA and angel!"

"We have to get her out of there! We need to scramble the fighters!" Sawyer said as he got up from his desk and exited his office. He went into the control room and there on the screen Asuka's face came on.

"Get me communications with Unit 1 now!" Asuka growled to her communications officer..

The communications officers tried like crazy to get a signal but nothing was working.

"GODDAMNIT FIND THAT SIGNAL!" Asuka growled.

**_"Let me help."_**


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

The EVA unit was taking blow after blow from Angel 20. The screams of Hope filled the cabin as the EVA kept falling back as the white-hot entity engaged her and did not allow her time to fight back.

A few minutes later, there was a flicker on the screen. Sawyer's face appeared in front of her.

Hope looked shaken and disturbed but her face was full of determination as sweat poured off of her forehead.

Sawyer's mouth dropped open as he saw her..

_Hope looked like she had been through a lot._ That was Sawyer's thought as he looked at the image on the relay.

Her face had a cut above her eye and it was bleeding down the side of her face. Yet, a steely look in her eye remained and she was more then ready to fight.

"Commander Dell to Major Ikari." He took another breath as he felt his fist clench at his side and then he said. "Major…this is NERV Command, respond?" Sawyer asked nervously.

"Sawyer!" Hope called out happily. "Sawyer, oh my God, you're okay! Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes, Hope. I'm fine." He said to her as he looked at her with pain in his eyes. "Not a scratch." He told her.

Asuka's eyes equally widened. _Oh dear God. _She thought to herself as she saw her daughter. _My baby. She's hurt._

"Sawyer?" Hope asked as she looked ahead at the monitor with a wide smile. "Sawyer, I was so worried about you! Sawyer, I was so afraid…"

"Major, you need to get out of there." Sawyer told her as his voice shook. "Get…. out of there, Hope.".

"Commander?" Hope asked, then taking a deep breath. "I've got a job to do. I'm not leaving it unfinished."

Then he watched her eyes widen and then squeeze shut as the screen shook violently.

Asuka breathed in and tried to hold back her emotions but blurted out. "Oh my God." _Protect her, Shinji. Please, protect her._

"Hope, get out of there!" Sawyer yelled through the relay.

"NO!" She said firmly.

"Hope, you're going to get killed!" Sawyer yelled. "Fall back!"

"NO!" Hope said with a determined look.

Looking back at Angel 20, Hope said firmly. "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!"

She charged the Eva unit forward with every bit of strength that she had. Then with a loud yell, The EVA unit fired its AT field at the Angel and sent it reeling.

She stared the Angel down, breathing heavily then she gasped as she screamed out.

"SAWYER………………."

The inside of the bioplug shook violently and Hope screamed in terror as the EVA unit was hit with a discharge and then thrown high into the air and landing onto the ground with a large thud as sand flew up into the air.

She felt something crush her against her shoulder and she bellowed out loudly as she shook from the pain she felt.

The EVA unit was thrown yet again to the side. Hope felt something hard strike her against her abdomen and looked down as she saw blood coming through her plug suit.

The screen flickered and Hope looked back to Sawyer. She could see his expression on the screen.

His eyes were wide as he saw her and his face was etched with pain.

_She was hurt. Bleeding_. He looked at the vitals displayed and his eyes widened.

"Sawyer………." She said through a raspy voice.

"HOPE!"

Then her screen went to static as she lost his image. She reached up to touch it and felt a tear come out of her eye as she said. "Sawyer?"


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

"HOPE!" Sawyer yelled out. "MAJOR IKARI, RESPOND!"

They saw on the visual Angel 20 come towards the EVA unit like a predator stalking its intended prey.

Sawyer took a look at the vitals display as he breathed in as he saw them. They were falling rapidly. .

Sawyersighed angrily looking at the vitals display. _. All of them are decreasing: respiration, heart rate, sinus rhythm, brain function_…. _all of them are decreasing second by second_. _She's hurt bad! She's wounded all over. Her shoulder looks broken, she's got internal bleeding! I have to get her out! She has to get out of there!_

He looked over to the harmonics and sync ratio output and then breathed in as he read them_. Harmonics output at zero! She's offline. She has no control! _

As Sawyer looked at Angel 20 on the visual, he saw Hope's EVA laying flat on the ground while the Angel approached slowly.

His anger and pain pulsed through him, feeling helpless as he watched. He wished he could reach into that screen and pull her out.

"REPORT!" Asuka demanded as her face came up on the relay.

"General, Unit 1 is down. Hostile is engaging EVA unit 1."

"Where is Unit 01's location?"

Sawyer was silent for a minute as he thought. She's going to die and I can't help her. I can't do anything. Hope, I love you. I'm sorry. Focus, Sawyer! You have to keep your focus. What you do now is for Hope. Keep control. You can grieve later

"ANSWER ME, COMMANDER!" General Ikari shouted. "WHERE…. IS…UNIT 1'S LOCATION?"

"Unit 1 is…. not responding, General. We've lost communications. We still have the vitals relay though."

"GIVE ME A RELAY AND A VISUAL!" General Ikari demanded.

"General, you shouldn't…you don't want to…"

"Give me…. A FUCKING VISUAL AND A RELAY NOW!"

Sawyer's eyes squeezed shut as he grimaced from General Ikari's shouting, and answered. "Yes, General." Turning to Lt. Fuki he said. "Patch a visual and a relay to General Ikari right now."

"Sir?"

:"NOW!" Sawyer boomed.

"Commander, " Dr. Ibuki said over the comm. "Major Ikari doesn't have much time left. Her injuries are severe. According to the vitals report, she has a large contusion and laceration on her frontal lobe; there is the possibility of a skull fracture. She has three broken ribs one of one has punctured her lung, her right shoulder is completely shattered and she has a large laceration right across her lower left abdomen. Commander, I'm sorry. Rescue crews wouldn't get to her in time. It's only a matter of time for Major Ikari. Does General Ikari know?"

"Yes, Dr. Ibuki." Sawyer responded flatly. "She knows."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few minutes later General Ikari was watching from her command center Major Ikari's vitals from within the EVA unit. .

_My daughter. My daughter is… she's dying. Oh dear God, no! How could this happen? Why? No, Asuka, maintain control. You have to do what you need to do. If these readings are correct, Hope will be dead before the rescue crews get out there. She'll be dying in pain. Forgive me, Shinji. I have to do this. It'll be easier for her this way. I don't want to suffer in her death. If she's going to die, I'm going to make it easier for he_r. Asuka thought as her anger pulsed through her

The screen flickered and then Sawyer's eyes widened as he saw Angel 20 slowly coming towards Unit 1, stalking it.. Hope's Unit was not responding. Unit 01 had completely gone offline. She wasn't in sync with it. She was just an occupant in a large metal hunk of junk.

. "She won't make it, Sawyer." Asuka said sadly over the relay.

"I know." Sawyer told her in a low voice.

"Commander?"

Sawyer breathed in as he said. "Yes, Dr. Ibuki."

"We've been monitoring the harmonics output of Angel 20. It appears as though there is a signal emanating from it…. its barely detectable but its there….it might be a form of communication…….possibly from SEELE relaying commands to the Angel."

"Can we track it?"

"Hard to say. It appears to be scrambled code with a location changer."

"Someone need a hacker?"

Sawyer turned and saw a grinning communications officer turn to him from his terminal. "Commander Dell, I think you know that's my specialty."

Sawyer looked at the young man for a minute and then he remembered who he was. "Lance, this isn't like the hacking you used to do to break into the stock market and what not…this is serious business…"

Asuka then said over the relay. "Commander, if we can use that signal as a location finder…"

"Then, we can track SEELE." Sawyer said.

"Let the hacker do it." Asuka said firmly.

"Commander," Lance said with a grin as he leaned forward. ", I either had to face jail time or sign up with NERV. I chose NERV. Give me the signal. I'll break it and I'll find it."

Sawyer grinned and nodded. "Lance, if you let me down..."

"I'll break it." Lance said as he turned to his terminal and looked at the signal in front of him.

"You'd better." Sawyer told him firmly.

Asuka breathed in as she looked at the visual of Unit 1 being stalked by Angel 20. She took another look at the vitals display and breathed in deeply as her fists clenched.. _I'm sorry, Hope. I have to do this. I swear to you, I'll never forget what you gave for all of us. I'm sorry. This has to be done. I love you, Hope. Shinji, take care of her. I'm sorry, my love. I'm so sorry. I hope you forgive me some day._

(A/N: Oh no! Did I do it again? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you at another cliffhanger…oh wait, yes I did. Reason? You guessed it, the next chapters that are coming up are CRUCIAL and you don't want to miss a beat. Stay tuned. If I can update today, I will. I'm trying though. Right now I'm sitting at home waiting for my car to be fixed. I'm supposed to be in Atlanta this weekend but my car had other plans. I may just update the story today. Stay tuned. As always thank you all for reading and see you soon.)


	45. Chapter 45

A/N: Okay, you've had enough of the cliffhangers and a lot of you are pretty angry that something bad is going to happen. Well, just so you know, take this piece of advice. Its always darkest before the dawn. From this point on, we will continue to the end of _Destiny of One_ without any interruption. Enjoy. As always thanks to Nic2951, bigdave, Logan, Rich, Jonny, Ari, JoJo, SteamedDumpling, OvrBoost, Dar Sel'La and so many others. Thank you all for reading and review. Your kind words have meant so much and have allowed me to finally get to the end of this book. I HOPE that you enjoy the next few chapters. Nic, I have to say thanks to you most of all. You have been supportive and helpful in so many ways. Incidently, all of you should read Nic's fic too. Its so great. Now, onto the next update straight through to the end with no interruptions! Peace and thanks to you all, J.

Chapter 45

Hope cried out in pain as she reached for her shoulder, a large gash was across her upper arm. It bled profusely and _hurt like hell_.

She touched her head and above her eye a gash, deep and bleeding down her face. Above that, near her left temple a huge bruise.

She could feel severe pain on the right side of her lower abdomen, and looked. There was blood coming through her red and gray plug suit. She touched her wound and called out in pain as she could feel the worst pain that she ever knew pulsating throughout her body.

She looked at the display in front of her; the white entity was coming closer to her. The read out on the display read.

"MEDICAL EMERGENCY: CONDITION SEVERE. HARMONICS: ZERO SYNC RATIO: ZERO…PILOT OFFLINE. PILOT CONDITON: SEVERE."

Move. She thought to herself as she reached for the controls of the EVA with her good arm and pulled on it. "MOVE!" She yelled out through the pain in her voice. "DAMN YOU! MOVE!"

It would not. It wouldn't respond to anything she said or did.

She looked at the controls. "UNIT 1, CONTROL PANEL!"

Nothing happened.

"GODDAMNIT, UNIT 1! " She yelled out. "CONTROL PANEL!"

Nothing happened.

"Control! Control, do you read me? SAWYER, DO YOU READ ME? CONTROL, DO YOU COPY?"

There was nothing just static.

"MAYDAY! MAYDAY!" Hope called out. "Major Ikari to NERV Central, copy? Unit 1 is down! Eject is offline! Life support failing! Hostile is engaging Unit 1. Please advise! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!"

After a few minutes had passed, she yelled out. "NERV COMMAND, THIS IS A DISTRESS SIGNAL! PLEASE RESPOND OVER."

There was no response only static.

Hope felt powerless. Her strength was gone. Her pain: immeasurable. Her wit and knowledge was non-existent.

She let go of the controls and stared at the blinding, white entity coming towards her.

Within seconds it came at her and Hope shut her eyes bracing for impact.

The Evangelion was thrown clear across the landscape, landing with a large thud. Hope bellowed as she was shaken in the cockpit and screamed as loud as her voice could carry. Her pain caused her to tremble violently and she started coughing.

As she covered her hand with her mouth, she coughed and hacked feeling something warm and sticky come up through her throat. As she pulled her hand away from her mouth, she saw blood on her hand.

Then as she slowly raised her eyes upward, she saw it.

The white entity was over her; a blinding white light.

Hope slumped in the console seat and she shut her eyes as she shook in fear.

_I've failed. I did nothing. This thing took me over instantly. Its over. I'm nothing. I deserve nothing but death now. I'm a coward._

**_"No."_**

She opened her eyes and looked around, the white light had engulfed her; she could feel her life force slipping away from her. Her eyes hurt from the blinding white light and she squeezed her eyes shut. Her pain was agonizing and she felt the end was near.

_I've failed. It's only a matter of time now. She thought to herself. It'll be over soon._

"End it." She said aloud in a raspy painful voice. "End it now."

**_"No."_**

Her eyes opened. Yet, she wasn't afraid and she wheezed as she looked around.

_Am I going crazy? I didn't think that or say that! Is my brain firing off as I'm dying? What's going on?_

_**"Hope, you won't fail**."_

It wasn't so much of a voice as it was a _**feeling**._ It came from inside of her but it was **_not_** she.

She opened her eyes and tried to adjust to the blinding white light. She thought she saw something and wasn't sure what it was. She shut her eyes again because of the pain it caused.

_**"Hope, use my strength**."_

Hope could feel the agonizing, horrible pain inside of her. Her shoulder felt like it was broken into a million pieces and she didn't know what to do. She was powerless and without any strength, nothing and no one could save her.

So why was it, in the midst of all the pain, the fear of impending death and the uncertainty of all this that she felt… comforted?

_**"Hope, look. Look, Hope**."_

Her eyes opened slowly and she squinted from the harshness of the light.

She looked closely.

Suddenly, she breathed in with a smile as she took her good arm and reached up towards the light.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Sawyer stood in front of the monitors, pacing back and forth at the NERV Command Center. He was fully armed and suited up in his combat fatigues to go into combat if needed. Over his head, his headset was attached to the portable wireless communications system on his hip.

"Scramble fighters." Asuka said flatly over the relay.

_Hope's out there still…she can't be serious. _"General?" Sawyer asked.

"SCRAMBLE THE DAMN FIGHTERS NOW!" She growled. "MAJOR IKARI IS A CASUALTY OF WAR AND WE CAN'T SAVE HER. WE CANNOT ALLOW ANGEL 20 TO MAKE CONTACT WITH EVA UNIT 1 AND ABSORB IT!"

Sawyer looked back to the screen and shut his eyes, as he knew she was right. _Hope was one individual and the fate of the world was greater. How could she? _He clenched his first as he thought to himself. _She may be one individual but she's the only one I will ever love. I'll never forget what she did today._

"Commander Dell!" Asuka said firmly. "I gave you a direct order."

Sawyer swallowed hard as he shut his eyes and nodded his head. "Yes, General." Sawyer said flatly. 'NERV COMMAND TO SQUADRON COMMANDER…. SCRAMBLE FIGHTERS….ATTACK HOSTILE AT WILL."

"Acknowledged."

"Have we tracked the signal yet, Lance?" Sawyer asked.

"No, sir. We're still working on it." Lt. Fuki said.

"Do it quicker!" Sawyer snapped. "I want to find out where that damned signal from Angel 20 is coming from! GET ME THAT SIGNAL NOW!"

Hope, I'm sorry. Sawyer thought as he looked at the screen, feeling pain in his heart.

On the read out showing the outline of a body, Sawyer watched in horror as several red areas flickered within the shape.

Looking back to Asuka on the screen, Sawyer could see the decision she had just made was one that tore her heart out. The emotions displayed on General Ikari's face could not be hidden.

_Hope is dying. She's in pain. Asuka has two reasons for doing this. One: to ease Hope's pain and help her along to an easy death. Two: stop Angel 20 and save our world._. Sawyer thought as he looked back at her and breathed in.

"I'm sorry, Sawyer." Asuka said. "I can't say much more then that."

Sawyer nodded. "I know."

"Sir, fighters report three minutes to target!" Lt. Fuki told him.

"Commander, what's the status of finding that signal?" Asuka asked.

"Lance, report!" Dell said.

"I'm close." Lance said firmly. "It's within a two hundred mile radius…..that's all I can do right now….I'm trying!"

"NOT GOOD ENOUGH ! DO IT QUICKER!" Dell snapped. "FIND IT NOW!"

"Sawyer…." Asuka said in soulful voice. "…. Don't. They are doing their best."

Sawyer nodded as he looked at her and the turned to Lance saying. "I apologize, Lance. Its just…."

"Its okay, Commander." Lance told him as he fixed his eyes on the screen and typed away. "Don't worry. I'll get you the signal. Its barely detectable but we found it. We're close to identifying the source of the signal. Once, we do that, we've got SEELE."

"COMMANDER, WHERE ARE THE FIGHTER JETS?" Asuka demanded.

"T-minus two minutes and forty seconds to intercept…" Sawyer said as he tried to keep his emotions in check.

"All of SEELE WILL PAY FOR THIS!" Asuka growled.

"General…please…."

Asuka was silent for a moment and then said in a shaky voice. "Report to me any new data. Ikari out."

Sawyer leaned forward. "Lt. Fuki, when I leave to go with the detachment crew, after that signal is found, you will be in command."

"Sir?'

"YOU HEARD ME!" Sawyer growled. "They will pay for this. For all of it! For Isao! For Shinji! For Hope! For Third Impact! For it all! I WILL MAKE THEM ALL PAY!"

(A/N: Oooooo! Damn, do you think Sawyer is just… a little upset here?)


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Hope's breathing began to labor as she looked up into the giant white light that enveloped her and Unit 01.

She could feel her heartbeat slowing down. She took a look at her own vitals. She could the flashing warning screen as it read: "DANGER: MEDICAL EMERGENCY. PILOT: RED ZONE STATUS: SEVERE. SYNC: 0 HARMONICS: 0."

"I'm almost done for." She whispered.

**_"No, you're not."_**

She breathed in as she heard it. She looked into the light and tried to focus on what she saw in that light.

As she looked closely she what she was seeing was not within the light, but in Unit 01 with her..

As the image became clearer to her, she gasped with her eyes wide as she said in a barely audible tone.

"_D…D…Da.…Dad_?"

The image smiled at her, it was almost transparent, but she could see it clearly and she bought her good arm over to touch it.

"Daddy?" She asked again as a tear fell from her eye.

She breathed in as she felt her hand being grasped gently. She smiled and then laughed a little as she looked.

"It is you." She said softly as she sniffled.

**_"Yes."_** He said to her. **_"It's me, Hope. It's Dad. I'm here. I've been right beside you the whole time. It's really me."_**

Tears came down her face. "Daddy…"

He was smiling at her and he was holding her hand. He didn't look like he had the last time she had seen him when the cancer had weakened him which had made him appear pale and thin.

Instead, he looked the way she always remembered him before he got sick.

He was strong, he looked younger and he smiled at her. He wore a simple white long sleeved shirt and his blue jeans. His hair wasn't gray at all; it was brown, like Souke's hair color.

"Daddy, am I dying? Is that why you're here? Are you here to take me with you, Dad? Am I going to die now?"

**_"No."_** He answered her

"Daddy, I…. I'm hurt…bad." She told him. "The vital display…says…I'm dying, Daddy."

**_"It's okay, Hope. I'm here now."_ **

"Daddy, I can't do it. It hurts too much."

**_"Hope."_** He told her as he lightly touched her cheek with his palm and then wiped her tears away with his thumb.

He stared at her.

His face dropped to sadness as he could see the wounds on her body.

He saw the pain that she was in as she looked back at him and he knew that she needed him.

_**"It's okay, Princess**."_ He told her reassuringly. **_"Hang onto me. Daddy will keep you safe."_**

"Help me, Daddy." Hope pleaded, as a tear rolled out of her eye, feeling her heart beating slowly inside of her and found it hard to breathe.

**_"I'm here. Nothing can hurt you now. Hope. Believe. You are the one, Hope. Use my strength. I will keep you safe. I will make you better. I am going to guide you and give you the strength you need. For the hope of the world, Princess, you and me, with all of our strength, we'll do this together. Trust in yourself."_**

"Daddy? How? I'm hurt so bad. I…I can't, Daddy. How can I?" She asked.

"Leave that to me." He told her with a smile.

"How, Dad?" She asked as she felt her pain. Then as she watched him smile at her, Hope's eyes got large as slowly he started to disappear in front of her.

"DADDY?" She cried out in fear. "Daddy, no! Don't leave me! Please! Don't let me die alone, Daddy! Daddy, come back! DADDY? DAD! COME BACK, DAD…. Please? Come back? Dad?"

Suddenly, Hope breathed in and out as she suddenly felt strength come from within her. Her heart was beating stronger and she took a deep breath.

She bellowed out loudly as she felt a pain come from within her shoulder, and she squeezed her eyes shut as she screamed out, reaching for her shoulder. The pain was unbearable. The pain went into her body and she screamed as she felt her body going through a change that she wasn't quite sure of.

She heard her shoulder bones cracking; fusing together and all at once, the pain…all of her pain…was gone.

She opened her eyes as she exhaled.

She felt stronger.

She moved her shoulder around and her eyes widened.

She also went to touch her head and noticed. "No gash? My shoulder's better? I'm not…what the fu…how the hell…"

Not a single cut or bruise on her body remained.

Her vitals were increasing and the read out shifted as it now read: "STATUS: PILOT GREEN ZONE. HEALTH: 0100. . SYNC: NOMINAL. HARMONICS: NOMINAL."

Her eyes widened. "What the hell…"

She was perfectly healthy and strong.

"What the…" She was confused and unsure. She could see the white light almost right on top of her.

Fearfully, she shouted out. "DADDY!"

**_"I'm here." _**

The eyes of the giant unit opened, flashing red.

Hope saw power come back on.

The EVA sprang to its feet and then repelled the white entity off of it with a discharge of its own AT field.

"Whaa…" Hope felt like someone grab her arms and force them onto the controls. She thought she could feel strong arms on top of her own and heard whispering into her ear.

**_"I'm right beside you. Listen to me. I'm going to help you."_**

Hope nodded her head and looked ahead. "Okay, Dad."

Hope tightened her grip on the controls and could feel energy pulsing through her and it was making her stronger.

"Dad, what is that?" She asked nervously.

**_"That is your power, Hope. You're power is coming through the EVA. This is all you now. Hope, listen to me. The secret of the EVA's power is you. You control the power. You control the energy. To destroy Angel 20 you are going to have berserk the EVA and cause an AT field that's large enough to make it collapse upon itself."_**

"How do I do that, Dad? How do I berserk?" Hope asked.

**_"What I've always told you, use all of your strength_."** He answered gently. "**_With all of your strength, Hope, you need to believe. Make the EVA you."_**

"Dad, I don't understand!" Hope said as she looked at Angel 20 who was off in the distance just hovering. "What do you do to berserk? What is berserking, Dad?"

**_"To berserk is 400 percent sync and harmonic ratio. There is an easier way. The EVA is you. You are the EVA. That is the key."_**

"I have to get my sync and harmonics ratio to 400 percent, Dad?" Hope asked.

**_"Yes but its more then that."_** He told her. _"**You are the one hope. You and the EVA are one in the same. The EVA accepts you as long as you accept yourself. That's the key, Hope. You need to believe. You need to know that you are in control. You are the same. You are the EVA. Do you accept yourself, Hope, as the pilot of Unit 1?"**_

"Yes!" Hope said firmly. .

**_"Take control!"_**

Hope did just that.

She made the EVA turn and face Angel 20, then pulling her particle rifle from the side, she said firmly.

"Unit 1, lock on target and fire!"

Hope smirked as she went after the target and fired the particle rifle at Angel 20, and then chased after it, with a smirk, yelling out with all of her strength. "**COME AND GET ME NOW, ****Blödes arschloch**!"

The voice chuckled as it said**, _"You're just like your mother." _**

Hope chuckled as Angel 20 rushed at her to which Hope held off the blinding white entity and fought it with everything she had.

**_"That's my girl."_ **The voice said proudly as it watched carefully


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

"COMMANDER!" Lt. Fuki yelled out. "LOOK!"

Sawyer's eyes went wide as he looked at the display. When he looked at the relay, Hope's vitals were increasing. Everything was nominal and the wounds on the bio display seemed to be decreasing in size.

"What the hell?" Sawyer asked. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

"Commander!" Dr. Ibuki said. "Its' Major Ikari! Her vitals….I can't explain it….they are back online…."

"How the hell is that possible?" Sawyer asked.

"It could be," Dr. Ibuki explained. ", when Unit 1 went offline, the power went offline….in that instance….the vitals would read zero….I'm showing she's still wounded but the wounds are not that severe."

"Are you sure?" Sawyer asked.

"No." Dr. Ibuki said. "Not really…there's a strange shift in the harmonics…. they're nominal but…there's an odd flux there….I don't know…I'm going to check it and get back to you."

"Commander, we have a visual from Unit 1." Lt. Fuki said.

"On screen!" Sawyer said.

The screen flickered and Sawyer smiled widely as he saw Unit 01 engaging in battle with Angel 20. He watched as Unit 01 exuded an AT field at the angel and then fired its rifles directly into it.

"Unit 1 is up!" Sawyer exclaimed happily, feeling his heart beat widely.

"Sir! We have communications with Unit 1!" Fuki called out.

"NERV COMMAND TO UNIT 01!" Sawyer said over the headset. "MAJOR IKARI, RESPOND!"

"Major Ikari, I copy." Hope's face appeared on the monitor. She had no wounds on her.

She looked strong, determined and not in any way the way Sawyer had seen on the monitor previously where it looked like any second she would die.

Sawyer sighed out of relief with a large smile as he said. "Status of target, Major?"

"Not much longer." Hope said. "Unit 1 is primed and ready! Angel 20 will be eliminated."

Sawyer turned to Lt. Fuki and asked. "Lance, how long to track SEELE's signal."

"One minute, sir." Lance said. "I just need a minute."

"Hope, can you hold that thing at bay for one minute?"

"One minute?" Hope asked.

"Yes, one minute."

"Piece of Cake, Commander." Hope said happily. "My father is on my side."

"What?" Sawyer asked as he looked at her strangely..

"Uh…. nothing! Just, I'll do what I need to. Major Ikari out." She said as the image disappeared.

"Good work, Major." Sawyer said with a smirk. "NERV TO SQUADRON COMMAND, CALL OFF THE FIGHTERS IMMEDIATELY!"

Two seconds later, the angry face of General Ikari appeared on the monitor yelling out. "SAWYER! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

"Its Major Ikari, General! She's back!" Sawyer said with a smile. "Check your relay."

"What?" General Ikari asked, as she looked at her relay and could see all of Hope's vitals were nominal. "How could…Oh my god! She is back!" General Ikari said happily. "Commander, she's okay! How though she was near death!"

"I don't know how! I don' care how!" Sawyer said happily. "She's back that's all I care about. She's giving us one minute to track the signal. Once, we've got it. We've got SEELE."

"Good work, Commander." Asuka said. "For an American, you're not too bad but then again, that is _MY_ daughter piloting that thing."

"You couldn't be more right, General. Get ready to commence operation in one minute thirty seconds."

"Roger." Asuka said.

"Uh, Commander Dell?" Dr. Ibuki asked as she appeared on the screen in front of him.

"Yes, Dr. Ibuki?" Sawyer answered.

"You better take a look at your relay and look at the harmonics sync ratio."

"What?" Sawyer asked.

"Just….check it."

Sawyer went to the display and there his eyes widened. "Umm…. are there supposed to be…. two sets of harmonic responses and two sets of vocal patterns?"

"No." Dr. Ibuki said. "Further more, this set of harmonic responses and vocal pattern outputs to a signature that shouldn't be there."

"What kind of signature is it?" Sawyer asked.

"We checked it three times to be sure it's accurate. It's confirmed. It's the signature of….and I can't believe I'm saying this but, it's the signature of Shinji Ikari." Dr. Ibuki stated.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" came General Ikari's shocked face over the monitor. "DID YOU JUST…SAY…. WHAT I THINK YOU SAID?"

"Yes, Asuka." Dr. Ibuki said firmly. "Its confirmed. It's Shinji's signature."

"How…can that be, Maya?" Asuka asked in shock with her eyes wide.

"Lt. Fuki, replay Major Ikari's last transmission." Sawyer said.

"Acknowledged." Fuki said. "Here, sir."

_"Nothing. Just, I'll do what I need to."_

"Before that!" Sawyer boomed.

Fuki went through the time index and then played back another segment.

_"Piece of Cake, Commander. My father is on my side"_

"Freeze!" Sawyer said. "Replay the last part of that."

_"My father is on my side."_

"Did you all just hear what she said?" Sawyer asked. "I am not imagining that, am I?"

Asuka breathed in as she heard her daughter's words.

"There could be another explanation. Commander Dell, do you remember when I explained to you about the harmonics echo?" Dr. Ibuki asked.

"I think so." Sawyer responded.

"Within Unit 01 are the harmonic echoes of its former pilot." Dr. Ibuki said.

"What do you mean?" Asuka asked.

"Each time a pilot syncs with the Unit it leaves an echo of itself. The Unit uses that echo to distinguish its pilot."

"So, Shinji's echo could be in Unit 1 still?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes, furthermore Hope's vocal pattern is being answered by a second vocal pattern….it could be the echo is bouncing back from Hope…EVA is making Hope believe that Shinji is with her." Dr. Ibuki said as she breathed in. "But, these patterns….are not indicative of a harmonic echo….these are real-time patterns. However, we've never had more then one pilot in Unit 1 before." Dr. Ibuki stated. "Hope, having been the second pilot, is possibly feeling her father's echo and her mind may be believing that he's there with her, guiding her."

"Could that actually happen?" Sawyer asked.

"Now, Maya, " Asuka took a deep breath as she said. ", are you telling me that…Hope thinks Shinji is in there…. _with her_?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"So," Sawyer said as he crossed his arms. ", what you're saying is the Evangelion uses the harmonic echo to stabilize itself?"

"Sort of." Maya said. "In Shinji's case, the sync level between him and Unit 01 was amazing. He was the only pilot ever to berserk his EVA. Shinji has bought the ratio past 400 percent. That was never accomplished by any of the pilots, not even by Asuka."

"Ahem…" Asuka coughed as she raised an eyebrow.

"It could be that Unit 01's closeness to Shinji is so much that it needs the harmonic echo."

"So, with Hope in the pilot's seat…in trouble…"

"The harmonic echo, if the EVA has activated it, would act as a shield for the pilot. The pilot would think they are seeing a ghost and their minds would determine how that ghost reacted to them. The EVA would have the echo of its former pilot and use it as a stabilization feature."

"Hope's memories of Shinji have always been pleasant even when he died." Sawyer said.

"That's right. Hope only knows a good and kind Shinji so that is the image that it would project."

"Well, let's hope that Hope doesn't remember how Shinji was he caught her at sixteen sneaking back into the house after being out all night. I'm sure she doesn't want to remember that side of him." Asuka joked.

Maya chuckled. "Well, she could remember him that way but, her mind would be in control of how the echo reacted to her."

"But," Asuka said. ", What if it isn't a harmonic echo at all?".

"Whatever it is, let her believe it." Sawyer said. "If she wants to believe that's her father in there with her, then let her. If it gets her back home safely, I don't care what it is that she saw…I just want her back."

Asuka thought back to long ago when she was at the bottom of a lake, in her Unit 02, when SEELE invaded the NERV Complex at Tokoyo-3.

Shinji had told her later that Misato had taken Asuka out of the hospital, while still in a coma, and placed her in Unit 2 at the bottom of the lake so she would be safe.

Asuka had awakened from her coma, frightened, alone, not knowing where she was or what was happening. She found herself dressed in her red plugsuit, wishing and hoping to be safe but feeling so terrified of danger.

She heard explosions as depth charges were sent down to destroy her. It caused her to quake in fear and she kept saying to herself over and over again. _I don't want to die. I don't' want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die._

She was crying her eyes out and then her thoughts became words, like a mantra, as she repeated through frightened cries. "I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." And then with a thunderous roar from deep within her. "**I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"**

Suddenly, she had thought she had seen her mother's spirit in front of her, guiding her, helping her, making her finally understand that the reason why she was a good pilot was because of her mother's spirit.

It was then Unit 2 rose from the lake and attacked the SEELE forces with everything she had. She felt rejuvenated, invigorated, happy and full of power. She understood the meaning behind the AT field and the reason why she wasn't syncing with her EVA. She was pushing away feelings. The anger of her mother's suicide, her growing feelings for Shinji and the fact she always boasted to hide what she really felt.

_Could Hope be feeling the same thing?_ She thought. _Could it be that Shinji is really there with her? Could he be able to do that? At one time he stopped instrumentality and prevented all of humanity from being exterminated. Could he have the power to control the fate of his spirit? Or, was it what Maya said…. what is it just his harmonic echo left behind in Unit 1? Was Hope's brain fooling her into believing he was really there with her or is he there with her? Did she see Shinji and did he give the strength to pull back from death? Is that what happened? Is he there? I've asked him time and time again to protect her. Is that what he's doing now? Is he protecting his little girl? Isn't that what he's always done?_

Then a thought popped into her mind from very long ago.

_"Okay, hang on tight!"_

_"Okay, Daddy!"_

_"Shinji, be careful!" Asuka said as she sat in her lawn chair with then two year old Reina in her arms and watched while Shinji was holding onto to the back of a red bicycle._

_Hope, at age, seven, was seated on the bike, pedaling slowly with a helmet on. "Daddy, I'm okay! I got it!"_

_"I'm gonna hang on! Daddy's gonna hang on to you to keep you safe." He told her._

_Little by little, he let go and watched as she pedaled down the driveway solo. "YOU DID IT, HOPE!1 YOU'RE RIDING A BIKE ALL BY YOURSELF!" He was happy and proud as he watched her on the bike. "You see here, Asuka?" Shinji asked happily. "Hey, Souke, you see? Your big sister is riding a bike all by herself. She's natural."_

_"Of course," Asuka said smugly. ", that is my daughter you're talking about."_

_"Our daughter." Shinji said with a smirk._

_"Dad, look!" Souke called out as he ran out to him._

_"I did it, Daddy! I did it!" Hope exclaimed happily then she suddenly lost balance…."Daddy!" She screamed._

_Asuka's eyes widened as she began to get up and within a split second, Shinji had ran right beside Hope to catch her as she fell off the bike._

_"Uh oh." Hope said as her father fell back on his back and grimaced from pain but held the little girl safely in his arms. "Daddy, you ok?"_

_Asuka ran over with her eyes wide holding the baby in her arms.. "Honey, are you all right?"_

_"Is Dad okay?" Souke asked as he watched him._

_Looking up at her from the ground, he smiled as he looked up at Asuka with three-year-old Souke standing beside her._

_"Yeah. Just protecting my baby." He said with a smile._

_"You always do." Asuka said with a smile._

_"Let's do it again, Dad. Let me try agan." Hope said._

_"Okay, Princess." He told her as she got off of him and he stood up._

_"Me next, Dad!" Souke said happily._

_"Okay, okay!" Shinji said as he stretched and then smiled. "Get on the bike. Let's do it again. Souke, you'll be next in a little while."_

_"Okay, Dad." Souke told him._

Asuka smiled as she remembered that day._ It was such a small thing but it proved one thing that he had shown time and time again. He would be always there for the kids. He was always protecting them. Always keeping them safe. He loved being a father. Why should this be any surprise? He's protecting his baby….just like he's always done_.

"Asuka? Asuka, did you hear me?" Dr. Ibuki asked.

"Huh?" Asuka asked. "Oh sorry, Maya….I just…I thought that maybe…."

"…. Asuka…to say that Shinji is really there with her…."

"I know." Asuka said. "But, Maya…you said you had two patterns both harmonic and vocal! You picked up on actual communication…real-time communications with two sets of voice patterns…. did you not?"

"Uh well…."

"Is that true, Dr. Ibuki?" Sawyer asked.

"Sort of." Dr. Ibuki said.

"Explain." Asuka said.

"The echo could possibly have caught traces of Shinji's voice from over the years. So Hope could think she is hearing his voice when actually it's the echo and her brain is allowing her to believe that Shinji is talking to her. We would see two voice patterns. Hope's and then Shinji's echo left behind. The echo would bounce off of her vocal pattern from the one that's stored in the EVA's memory."

"Even if it is a harmonic echo, so what?" Asuka said. "She believes it. I don't need any other explanation."

"I agree." Sawyer said.

"You know something?" Maya asked. "I hope its true too. Believe me, I hope Shinji is in there with her."

"I GOT THEM, COMMANDER!" Lance said happily. "WE'VE GOT THEM."

"Sir!" Lt. Fuki said. "We've got SEELE!"

"On screen!" Sawyer demanded.

The screen showed a visual of a building in the desert and then Sawyer's eyes expanded with amazement. "Is that…. correct? Are you sure that is where the signal is coming from? Are you positive that it's coming from…there?"

"Confirmed." Lance said. "That's where it's coming from."

"General Ikari, are you watching this?" Sawyer asked.

"Yes." Asuka growled. "That fat pompous son of a bitch!" She said angrily. "He did it right under our noses. He knew that would be the last place anyone would ever look. He's doing it right from the Surveillance Post. He's using our own technology! That son of a bitch!"

"You were right, General." Sawyer said.

"Commander Dell!" Asuka said firmly. "Apprehend General Harris immediately."

"With pleasure, General." Sawyer said as his fist tightened.

"I'm coming with you!" Asuka said firmly.

"General, I'm going to advise you not to. Let me handle this."

"The hell you will!" Asuka growled. "I am going! I'll meet you there! Ikari, out!"

Sawyer tapped his headset as he said.. "MAJOR IKARI, THIS IS NERV COMMAND! BREAK OFF WITH HOSTILE AND RETURN TO BASE."

"Yes, sir." Hope said firmly.

"Commander Dell, report to the detachment crew."

"Acknowledged, General. Major Ikari is returning to base now." Sawyer said as he pulled out his pistol and slid the action back, sticking it back in its holster. 'FIGHTER TEAMS, ENGAGE ANGEL 20 AS SOON AS EVA UNIT 1 IS OUT OF RANGE."

"Acknowledged." Said the Squadron Commander.

"Commander, you need to report to the detachment crew. Dr. Ibuki and Lt. Fuki will monitor Major Ikari." Asuka said.

"Yes, ma'am, General." Sawyer said, as he got ready to leave. He put his headset on with the eyepiece that came down and allowed him to monitor happenings at NERV command.

Sawyer exhaled and then spoke into his headset. "NERV COMMAND TO MAJOR IKARI."

"Major Ikari, copy."

"Hope, the strike teams are on their way. Are you at a safe distance?" Sawyer said.

"In one minute, Commander. Make them pay, Sawyer."

Then a few seconds passed and he heard Hope say. "Commander?"

"Yes." He answered.

"The fighter jets won't be able to destroy Angel 20. The only thing that can do it is an AT field from within."

"Hope, how do you know that?" He asked.

"My father told me that."

Stopping for a moment, he asked, "Hope? Is someone there with you?"

"Yes." Hope said in an almost dreamlike state.

"Who's there?" Sawyer asked.

"My Dad. My Dad is sitting right beside me and he's smiling at me. He saved me, Sawyer."

Taking a deep breath, Sawyer said. "Hope, return to base."

"But, Sawyer, Angel 20…."

"Angel 20 is not a consideration! We've got what we need! The fighter jets will take care of Angel 20."

"No…. they won't. It won't be enough. It needs to be destroyed from within, Sawyer! The fighter jets won't be successful with a direct attack."

"Hope! What are you saying? Hope, no! DO NOT MERGE WITH ANGEL 20! YOU'LL CAUSE FOURTH IMPACT!"

"Commander Dell!" Lt. Fuki called out. "EVA UNIT ONE IS ENGAGING THE TARGET!"

Sawyer's eyes widened. "Oh no! Hope, abort! Abort, Hope! HOPE, THE FIGHTER JETS ARE GOING TO BE THERE IN THIRTY SECONDS…. ABORT."

"Sawyer, believe in me." Hope said back to him over the comm. "With all my strength, Sawyer, this is for the hope of the world. I love you.".

"HOPE!" Sawyer called out.

Sawyer saw through his eyepiece Unit 1 charge at Angel 20 and then what he saw next made his heart stop.

His eyes were wide as he said angrily. "Unit 01, respond! UNIT 01 THIS IS A DIRECT ORDER, RESPOND!"

There was nothing just static.

"HOPE!" Sawyer bellowed.

"Commander Dell, report to the detachment crew. That is an order!" General Ikari said over the radio.

"General Ikari, you don't understand! Hope is now engaging Angel 20."

"She's what?" Asuka asked.

"She's engaging Angel 20!" Commander Dell said. "She just…. took it….into ANGEL 20!"

"What do you mean she took into Angel 20? What the hell is she thinking? What…. doesn't she know that, that's not right? Why in the hell did she do that for?" Asuka asked angrily.

"She said that her father told her that the fighter jets wouldn't be successful with the strike. She said Angel 20 has to be collapsed from within! I have to stay here! I can't go!"

"Sawyer…" Asuka's mind was flooded with questions then she heard from within her and she wasn't sure of whom it was exactly.

**_"It'll be okay, Asuka. Trust me. Trust in Hope. There is a reason. Fourth Impact will not occur. Trust in me."_**

_Shinji…_ Asuka thought. _Protect our baby. Please protect her, Shinji. Help her_. "Sawyer, call off the fighter jets now!" Asuka said quickly.

"FIGHTER JETS CALL OFF ATTACK!" Sawyer said into his headset. "REPEAT: THIS IS NERV COMMAND TO SQUADRON COMMANDER, CALL OFF ATTACK. FRIENDLY IS ENGAGING TARGET…PULL BACK!"

"Squadron Command to NERV, Commander Dell, we cannot stay up in the air all day. We have to attack or return to base. Please acknowledge."

"Commander Dell, we have to act now!" Asuka said firmly. "I know how you feel but you have to go on the strike team now! That is a direct order!"

"General….Hope is in danger!"

"I know." Asuka said. "I see what Hope is doing but we need to do our part too. Dr. Ibuki and Lt. Fuki can monitor the situation and report any updates. If Hope believes this is the correct course of action, we have to trust in her. I have a feeling…. she knows what she's doing. Report to the detachment crew, Commander. That's an order."

"Yes, General." Sawyer said angrily as he walked out of the command hub.

"NERV Command, what are your orders?" The Squadron Commander said.

"Call off attack." Sawyer responded flatly as he exited the command center and went into a waiting jeep that drove off to meet the strike team.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Ten minutes earlier, inside of the cabin of Unit One, Hope heard over her communications relay..

"Hope, the strike teams are on their way. Are you at a safe distance?" Sawyer said.

"In one minute, Commander. Make them pay, Sawyer!" Hope said as she turned the EVA around and started to walk away from the Angel.

**_"Hope, where are you going?"_**

"The fighters are going to take care of Angel 20, Dad. I'm returning to base. They are going to hit it with an AT shell. I've done my part. They'll stop it. Don't worry."

**_"No, it won't be enough, Hope."_**

"What do you mean, Dad?" Hope asked.

**_"It has to be collapsed from within, Hope. The AT field needs to be discharged from inside of Angel 20 not outside of it. EVA needs to merge with Angel 20."_**

"Dad…. are you suggesting that…I take the EVA into Angel 20?"

**_"Yes." _**

"Dad, isn't that a bit crazy?" Hope asked. "If EVA merges with the Angel, it'll cause Fourth Impact. Dad, why are you telling me to do this?"

_**"It's the only way. The fighter jets are not going to weaken Angel 20. Angel 20 is the way that SEELE wants to start Fourth Impact! If Angel 20 merges with the EVA yes, that can happen…. fourth impact would occur. Instrumentality would set the course of the human race once more by the way who initiated the merge ****but**** if EVA merges with Angel 20 and we keep control. ."**_

"Dad…you're scaring me. You want me to start Instrumentality? ARE YOU REALLY MY FATHER? IS THIS A TRICK? I WON'T DO IT! I'LL DESTROY THAT THING MYSELF!"

**_"Yes, Hope, it is me. I am your father and I'm not telling you to use Instrumentality to destroy the Earth and mankind. I don't want to do that."_**

"Then what? Tell me what you want. Why is it so important to merge with Angel 20, Dad?"

**_"We can determine the fate of Instrumentality. We can decide whether or not mankind lives or dies. We can decide that fate, Hope. We can control that power. That is why we must do this!"_**

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!" Hope growled. "THIS IS A TRICK! THIS IS SEELE'S DOING! I'LL DESTROY YOU! MY FATHER WOULDN'T SAY THAT! YOU CAN'T BE MY FATHER! IF YOU'RE MY FATHER….PROVE IT!"

**_"Haven't I all ready? I made you better, didn't I?"_**

"That could have been to gain my trust." Hope said. "SEELE knew that I'd believe you after that but what you're saying now….my father wouldn't say that."

**_"HOPE, DO AS I SAY! WE'RE LOSING TIME! WE HAVE TO ACT NOW! I'M YOUR FATHER! YOU WILL OBEY ME!"_**

"I'm not a kid anymore! I won't be ordered around! Besides, my father never spoke to me like that!" Hope said firmly.

**_"Hope…. I'll make you believe it."_ He told her gently. _"I'm sorry I yelled at you. Hope, listen to me…"_**

"THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY I'D EVER BELIEVE YOU, YOU SEELE BASTARD!"Hope growled as she charged up her particle rifle

**_"Hope, do you remember when you very little and I told you something a long time ago. I kept telling you over and over again and I told you when you were older to write it down somewhere in a safe place and commit to memory. Do you remember what I told you? Do you remember what you were told to never forget all of your life?"_**

"Yes." Hope said. "You tell me though! If you're my father, YOU TELL ME!"

There was silence.

"Well, what's the matter?" Hope asked sarcastically. "Are we lost for words?"

More time passed and no answer came.

"Kiss your ass good-bye, Angel-20." Hope said as she aimed her particle rifle at the target.

Then she heard**. _"…. What mankind has thrown out of balance…will be balanced…. by…"_**

Hope breathed in as she heard it and then shut her eyes as she said softly. "…. By the destiny of one." She drew back her particle rifle as she said. "Dad, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to doubt you. Its just there have been so many lies and so many things…Dad, I'm sorry."

**_"Its okay."_** The voice said gently. **_"I shouldn't have yelled at you."_**

"Dad, how do you know about this?" Hope asked. "How is it you know that in order to destroy Angel 20 I have to merge with it? Dad, won't I be killed?"

_**"I've been spying on SEELE, Hope."** He responded**. "I know all about their twisted little game and I'm going to put a stop to it by turning their creation against them. That's why we need Angel 20. I need it for my purpose."**_

"Dad, how…were you able to spy on SEELE? How are you going to turn it against them? You're dead, Dad!"

**_"There are things in the afterlife that let you do certain things…. things you can't do when your alive…Hope, I wasn't meant to die the way I did. SEELE caused it to happen. Yes, Hope, I know. I know that I was murdered by them and now, I can set things right. In the afterlife, you're given a chance by free will to set things right before you go somewhere else. I know exactly what they are up to…. and I know who's behind it all."_**

"You do?" Hope asked. "Dad, do you mean to say you've been haunting SEELE? Dad, we need to tell Sawyer! We need to tell Mom! Who is it, Dad? What did this? What is their name? Is this person responsible for your cancer and Isao? Dad, is this the same person who tried to have Mom killed? Who is it, Dad? You have to tell me! We need to tell them! Dad, tell me!"

**_"No, Hope. I won't tell you. We can't have the focus of Sawyer or your mother off right now. If they knew who it was, they would charge into the base without thinking and a lot of people would get hurt. No. I'm keeping that knowledge to myself for when the time is right. That's why I need you, Hope. You're going to help me. You and me are going to bring down SEELE. We're going to stop them from ever doing this again. I need you to stop Angel 20 and I need Angel 20 in order to do what I need to do."_**

"Dad, how? You're dead, Dad. You're a spirit. How can you?"

**_"I can and I will. I'm not just a spirit, Hope."_**

"You're not, Dad. What are you then?" Hope asked.

**_"I'm an angel." He responded_**.

"Dad? What are you talking about? What do you mean….what are you saying Dad? Are you…. something other then a spirit now?"

**_"Not right now but I will be. That is why I need you. That is why we must do this, Hope."_**

"Dad, I'm scared but I believe you." Hope said as she smiled.

**_"Let's do it, Hope. You and me. Let's end it."_**

"Yes, Dad." Hope stopped and then turned the EVA to face Angel 20, she said into her headset. "Commander?"

"Yes." Sawyer answered.

"The fighter jets won't be able to destroy Angel 20. The only thing that can do it is an AT field from within."

"Hope, how do you know that?" Sawyer asked.

"My father told me that."

Sawyer was silent for a moment and then asked. "Hope? Is someone there with you?"

"Yes." Hope with a smile as she looked to her side.

"Who's there?" Sawyer asked.

"My Dad. My Dad is sitting right beside me and he's smiling at me. He saved me, Sawyer."

Then she heard Sawyer say. "Hope, return to base."

"But, Sawyer, Angel 20…."

"Angel 20 is not a consideration! We've got what we need! The fighter jets will take care of Angel 20."

"No…. they won't. It won't be enough. It needs to be destroyed from within, Sawyer! The fighter jets won't be successful with a direct attack."

"Hope! Hope! What are you saying? Hope, no! DO NOT MERGE WITH ANGEL 20! YOU'LL CAUSE FOURTH IMPACT!"

Making the EVA run as fast as it could, Hope charged at Angel 20.

. "Oh no!" She heard and saw Sawyer on the monitor. "Hope, abort! Abort, Hope! HOPE, THE FIGHTER JETS ARE GOING TO BE THERE IN THIRTY SECONDS…. ABORT!."

Looking back at the image, she reached up and placed her hand against it and whispered gently. "Sawyer, believe in me. With all my strength, Sawyer, this is for the hope of the world. I love you."

"HOPE!" Sawyer called out

"Unit 1, disengage communications relay." Hope commanded as she looked forward at Angel 20 and found her breathing quickening and her eyes getting wider

"Okay, Dad. I believe. I am putting my trust in you. With all of our strength, Dad, we'll do this together.. Okay?"

**_"Okay."_ Then the voice asked. _"You do, don't you? You love him, Hope. I can see it. Do you love him?"_**

"With all of my heart, Dad. You were right when you called it." Hope said softly with a smile. "Hey, Dad. I don't know if you know this but…..he asked me to marry him and I said yes. That is if I survive this."

**_"You will, Hope. I am happy for you."_**

"Thanks, Dad. I only wish you could be there…to walk me down the aisle."

The voice answered. **_"Souke or Touji will take my place but I'll be with you that day, Hope. I promise you. I will be there. I'll stand right beside you and I'll be very proud of you."_**

"I wish you could be there for real, Dad." Hope said with a smile as she looked ahead to Angel 20. "Okay, Dad, I'm getting a little worried here."

**_"Its all right. I'm right beside you."_**

"DAD!" She called out nervously.

**_"Wait…wait…NOW, HOPE! DO IT NOW!"_**

"NOW, DAD?"

**_"NOW!"_**

Letting out a loud scream, the EVA unit ran faster and jumped into the white entity. Hope breathed in as she concentrated seeing and feeling power go through her and instantly, energy crackled on the outside of the EVA unit.

She looked around; she was inside of the blinding white force that was Angel 20. She took a deep breath as she could feel her heart beating wildly inside of her and could feel sweat come down her forehead.

**_"You are the EVA."_** Shinji told her. **_"You can end it all now. Without Evangelion there is no SEELE. END EVANGELION, HOPE. I will take care of SEELE."_**

"Okay, Dad." Hope said as her breathing quickened.

**_"Now berserk the EVA and discharge your AT field. Feel your power. Believe in it. Imagine it is so large that it will take down Angel 20."_**

"Okay, Dad." Hope said with a nod.

**_"Go!"_**

"UNIT 1, DISCHARGE AT FIELD!" Hope said firmly as she began to envision an AT field so large and so powerful that it could easily overwhelm Angel 20.

From the outside, the EVA crackled with red and blue strobes of energy.

Then the EVA roared thunderously from within Angel 20

As loud as it could be heard the EVA unleashed an AT field of immense proportions with energy that crackled throughout all of Angel 20..

It was so large that from within the white entity, Angel 20 began to shake, causing the EVA unit to shake violently..

"DAD!" She screamed out nervously.

Hope screamed as she felt herself shaking. She braced herself in the console but then she felt strong arms around her, protecting her.

**_"I've got you. You're going to be okay. Hang on to me. I'll keep you safe. I promise!"_**

She felt like she was a little girl again and safe within the arms of her father. She always felt like nothing could ever hurt her whenever he protected her and she felt that way now.

The field became larger and caused Angel 20 to start collapsing within itself. The shockwave was so great that the EVA itself was caught in it.

Slowly the EVA merged with Angel 20. Little by little pieces of the EVA started to dissolve into that energy.

Hope felt within the bioplug everything shake and crumble. She looked at the displays reading. "WARNING: LIFE SUPPORT FAILURE"

She became nervous as she looked around and then in an instant, she felt everything around her collapse.

"DAD!" She screamed out.

She was in a dark place and felt herself sinking into an abyss until…. someone had caught her holding her by the wrist.

**_"I've got you and I'm not letting go."_**

She smiled as she looked up at him.

He was holding onto her wrist and he was smiling at her, hovering above her in a white void directly above her head and he pulled out of the darkness and held her against him, hugging her as they floated in the middle of a white void.

"Dad…you're…" Hope asked with astonishment as she looked at him. "Dad, you're alive again! I can see you, Dad! I can touch you! DAD!" She happily hugged him and kissed him on his cheek as she said to him. "I love you, Daddy."

**_"I love you too. Listen to me, it's going to be okay."_** He told her with a smile. **_"Hold onto me."_**

"Daddy, where are we?" Hope asked as she hung onto her father.

_"Hope Ikari, you are safe. You are in a world between life and life beyond. You are safe in this state. We will guide you."_

"Who is that, Dad? Do you know?" Hope asked.

_"…What mankind has thrown out of balance will be balanced by the destiny of one…."_

Hope turned and saw a girl standing off to the side. The girl smiled at her. The girl had red eyes and light hair that was almost blue. Her skin was pale, white almost, and she wore, what looked like, a school uniform.

"Dad, how does she know that?" Hope asked as she looked at Shinji. She turned and looked at the girl, studying hard and then said. "I know you…. don't I? You…I know you."

The girl smiled at her. "_Yes, you do."_

Hope said with her eyes wide. _"_"Aya…. nami. You're Ayanami!" Hope said as she breathed in. "You…you're my imaginary friend from when I was a kid…but you weren't real…" Hope said to her in amazement as the girl smiled at her.

_"I was real once."_ The girl said. _"Now I am much more."_

Hope looked at her father as she asked. "Dad, do you remember when I was little and I used have a…an imaginary friend named…."

"**_Rei Ayanami_**." Shinji told her.

"Yes!" Hope said as she breathed in. "Dad, what does this all mean?"

_"It is time, Ikari."_

Shinji nodded his head as he looked at the girl and then turned his attention back to his daughter. "**_It means, Hope, that this will all come to an end. It means that life will be good from now on. I want you to embrace life and I want you to do all that you want to do and fly as high as you wish.. It means that the destiny of one was made possible from the hope of the world. It means that everyone will be safe from now on. I love you, Hope. Don't worry. This is the end of Evangelion. This is end of SEELE. Don't be afraid. I'm going to protect you. I'm going to make sure it ends today and that you never go through this again_**."

Hope watched as everything in that white void turned into a giant whirlwind, in the center of this whirlwind, a bright white light came down and engulfed all three of them. Inside of the white light, everything was calm and serene.

Outside of the light the void turned into a violent whirlwind, churning with energy that crackled.

Hope looked around and then looked back at father as raised his head towards the opening high above them.

He looked back at her and smiled as he said.

**_"You've got to go now. Don't be scared. I'm right beside you. I'll always be with you all of your life." _**

_"Ikari."_

Hope turned and then saw that same girl floating beside them. She looked at her strangely as her father smiled at the girl.

**_"Take care of her Rei."_** Shinji said gently.

_"The hope of the world has been successful now it falls to the destiny of one to insure it never happens again."_

Hope looked back at her father and nodded. "I guess that's why you named me Hope, huh?"

Shinji chuckled as he hugged her and kissed her forehead, and then he said gently. **"_For so many reasons._" **He held onto her for a while as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _"**I love you with all of my heart**."_ He whispered to her. _"**You've made me proud. Keep doing what you've been doing and know I'm always by your side, watching over you and protecting you. Good-bye, my little girl.** **Now you have to go**."_ He gave her one last kiss good-bye on her forehead and took another breath as he looked at Rei and nodded.

Hope felt her wrist being grasped by the girl who stood with them. "DAD!" She called out as she felt the girl grab her with a strength she had never known.

As she looked back into her father's eyes, Hope could see a tear coming out from his eye and sliding down his cheek as he looked back at her. Then she felt nothing against her except the void.

"Daddy." Hope said as she looked back at him and reached up to touch him only to discover, he was transparent again. "Dad what?"

She watched as Shinji nodded to the girl and saw as Hope and the girl floated up towards the top of the vortex.

"Daddy!" She called out as he reached out to him while she traveled upward and saw him looking up at her, smiling at her. "Daddy!"

The white entity transformed into a long twisting formation like an upside down tornado.. The AT field swirled around the formation gathering strength and in the center of this, Shinji Ikari floated.

Shinji's eyes were shut, his body transparent as the energy around him formed into lightening and went through him strobe by strobe.

"DAD!" Hope screamed out with wide eyes as reached out to him drifting further and further away from him. "Let me go! Let me go! That's my father!"

_"I know, Ikari."_ The girl said to her in mind. _"It is all right. This is the destiny of one."_

Shinji stretched out his arms as the strobes of energy continued to pass through his translucent body, his face tightened as he felt the energy go through him and around him. As it did, it gave him temporarily a form in the white and blue energy that went into his spirit and combined.

"Daddy!" Hope called out as she traveled upward looking back to him..

His eyes opened and they were still blue but with strobes of white energy crackling in them. Throughout his body energy crackled around him and inside of him, his hair blew in every which direction.

He slowly looked back towards his daughter with the most serious and angry face she had ever seen on him.

**_"It'll be all right, Hope."_** She heard in her mind. **_"It's my turn now. Its time to make the one responsible for so much death and destruction to pay."_**

"Daddy, no!" Hope called out as she traveled further away from him.

Shinji cast his eyes downward and then in an instant, the energy built up and swept through him. He glowed in a series of white and blue energy

Shinji Ikari disappeared into that same energy, as it hurled down to the ground below.

"DADDY!" Hope called out. "DADDY!"

_"Hope of the world, you may return."_

She turned and looked up at the girl. She shrieked, as she saw nothing. She only saw white.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

General Harris sat in front of a computer console at the US Army Command Surveillance Post in the Sahara Desert. The room was a secure hold where several computer consoles lined the walls. In the center of the room was a large conference table with a large plasma screen on the far wall.

A huge metal door secured the room. Above the door was a solid green light to signal that its occupant was in the room and that there was to be no admittance unless permitted. Towards the right of the door, the flag of the United States of America stood. To the left of the door was the flag of the United Nations.

Harris had a smug look on his face. His feet were up on the console and he sat back in his chair wearing his desert fatigues. On his shoulder board, his four silver stars shined against the light from overhead. .

As he sat, he smiled at the four inch hunting knife with a serrated edge that he twirled around in his hand with a look of satisfaction upon his face.

"Its too perfect." He snickered to himself. "General Ikari has bought about Fourth Impact herself. This is a glorious day. Her precious little Hope ran into Angel 20 after being freaked out! It couldn't get much better then this…. except for one thing…."

Harris smiled as he flipped switches on the console and then punched in a code into the terminal that read:

'SEELE COMMAND: GENERAL ORDER 2 – INITIATE."

"Now the Earth as we know will be reborn and I will aspire to the heights of God." Harris snickered "Oh but before I do that, General Ikari will pay me a visit. Then as I tell her how incompetent she is and how this all her doing, I will take this very same knife that I am holding and I will stab it directly into her heart. I will watch her blood spill at my feet and then I will tell her that I killed her idiot Shinji. I will tell her I purposely gave him the toxin that caused his cancer. I will also tell her I killed her daughter's fiancé, indirectly of course, but that I take full responsibility for killing her very own daughter. I will tell her that SEELE was totally and completely oblivious to my own wishes and in the end, I have become the master of all of life. Then I will watch her die and leave her there as I complete Instrumentality. The smallest satisfaction I will have that day is having General Asuka Langely Soryu Ikari lying dead at my feet. Should I stab her in the heart though? Perhaps, I could be creative on how I kill her."

General Harris snickered as he twirled the knife around in his hand and then he heard a buzzer sound.

"Yes?"

"General Harris, sir. I have Commander Dell of NERV here. He wishes to speak with you."

"Is he alone?"

"No, sir. Uh…General Ikari is with him."

Harris smirked and laughed. _You have the most perfect timing, Asuka. I may as well kill you now. Perhaps, I'll fuck you first. That was always an experience I wished I could have. I think I will fuck you and then kill you. No, maybe I will fuck you and kill you while I'm fucking you. Yes, that might be even more satisfying. Nothing will happen to me once General Order One is underway. I don't care if you have your little boy-toy Dell out there. Once Instrumentality begins, he'll turn into a load of useless liquid. Today, life will be reborn and you will die._

"Sargeant, have Commander Dell wait. Please tell General Ikari that I need to speak with her immediately.."

"Yes, sir."

Harris smiled as he turned off the monitor and stood up from his chair. He stuck the knife back into a holster on his belt and then covered it up with his fatigue top. He picked up his fatigue cap and placed it on his hand as he snickered.

"Send her in." He said with a broad smile as he licked his lips.

Suddenly, the intercom sounded as a soldier said over the intercom. "GENERAL HARRIS, EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY! AT FIELD HAS BEEN DETECTED. DIRECT HEADING TOWARDS OUR FACILITY. ALL PERSONELL NEED TO EVACUATE."

"Maintain your position." Harris said coolly. "We have nothing to fear."

**_"Oh yes you do!"_**

Harris jumped and gasped.

The power in the room shut down. The light above the door switched to a solid red.

A computer voice sounded. "LOCKDOWN IN PROGRESS. ROOM SECURE!"

Harris suddenly felt uneasy as he had a feeling that he was not alone in that room.

"GENERAL HARRIS! ARE YOU OKAY? WE CANT GET THROUGH!" A voice on the other side of the door said. "Sir, the controls are not responding! General Harris, are you okay? General?"

It was dark.

Hot.

Sticky.

**_"Maniac!"_**

Harris was panicked as he heard what was just said, in a voice that scared all of him down to his core.

Then, from out of nowhere a huge lightening bolt struck through the center of the room. It struck into all of the computer consoles making them completely useless.

Harris' eyes went wide as he pulled out a gun, looking around the room nervously.

"WHAT?" Harris yelled as the gun he was holding was knocked out of his hand and went flying across the room.

Then, he screamed as he felt a bolt of energy strike him dead in the chest, which sent him reeling against the console.

He felt himself forcefully spun around as his jaw made contact with something hard, which threw him against the conference table.

Harris bellowed out in pain and turned around and then felt like someone had hit him hard in his stomach.

Harris held onto his stomach as sweat came down his face and he reached for the phone only to hear quite sharply.

**_"I don't think so."_**

Harris yelled out in pain once more as he was thrown into a wall face first. He called out in pain as his nose crashed into the wall and blood splattered from it.

He then found himself spinning around again until, he found himself hit dead in the face again, being reeled back as he backed into a chair and called out in pain as he felt someone grab him by his shirt.

As she shook his head, he was thrown back against the wall hard and grimaced in pain as he found himself pinned against the wall by a gigantic white and blue energy force that was right in front of his face.

**_"You're day of reckoning has arrived for only yourself, Harris!"_**

"Who…. who…. Who…are you?" Harris asked as he breathed heavy and shook with fear. .

**_"So, you, the seventh member of SEELE, General Nathaniel Harris. You have been a a traitor in the United States Army. You executed the rest of SEELE yourself. You destroyed so many lives. You tried to destroy my family. You killed me! Death is too good for you. I always swore that if anyone ever tried to hurt my family they would pay with their life and you will be paying, Harris! I'm going to make you pay!" _**

Harris trembled like a leaf as he stared into the energy and heard the voice. Sweat poured down his face. He lost control of himself and he soiled himself..

He couldn't move.

A face began forming in that energy and looked back at Harris…_a very angry face_ that he recognized in an instant.

_"Ikari?"_ He asked nervously as he shook violently in fear seeing the image in the energy. "We…. killed you."

Then the energy took form and all though it wasn't solid, it was in the shape of a man who had his hand wrapped around Harris' throat.

Harris became a quaking, petrified, sweating, broken man who could only stare wide-eyed and stunk from having soiled himself.

**_"You killed my body, not me. You killed so many and destroyed so many lives. You alone wanted to destroy the Earth. You tried to build an angel from the data you stole out of the Magi! I'm not going to let that happen. You're going get justice."_**

"What are you going to do, Ikari?" Harris asked nervously. "Will you kill me? What will you do?"

**_"I wouldn't waste my time with killing you! I'm not a killer. I'm better then you are. . You'll be disgraced and dishonored. You'll get what you deserve, Harris. As for your dream of starting Instrumentality. I TOOK OVER INSTRUMENTALITY, HARRIS! I BECAME ANGEL 20! "_**

Harris started to whimper as he looked into the furious face of the entity before him. He shook and his eyes were wide with absolute terror. "Ikari…" he squeaked out.

**_"Harris, you tried to throw the world into Fourth Impact! You tried to throw the world off balance and in turn, I countered it! I shed my human form when you took my life and when I became something more I had one agenda: to destroy you and everything that you represented. I've turned your creation against you. I can't wait to see Asuka's face when she arrests you. Believe me, I'd love to kill you but I won't. You will pay with your life but not by my hand. You are going to self-destruct by your own choosing. You will live within your own torture by your creation forever. You're going to remember this for the rest of your life. This is the day that Shinji Ikari destroyed SEELE!"_**

Then as Shinji's eyes glowed with a white-hot intensity and burned into Harris' fearful, terrified eyes General Harris screamed like a little girl who had just seen the monster underneath the bed.

The power came back on and the huge metal door opened up. Commander Sawyer Dell of NERV, walked in with his pistol drawn followed by two armed guards and saw the most peculiar thing that he had ever seen before.

The energy hurled the fat General across the room; the General bellowed in pain as he went slamming into a wall, face first, while his knife fell out of the holster and onto the ground.

The fat general let out a painful groan and landed face first with a thud on the floor right in front of Sawyer Dell.

Tapping into his headset, he said. "General Ikari, Geneal Harris has been..."

Then Sawyer thought he heard _laughing._

Sawyer saw the calm stream of white and blue energy just hovering in the room. For a moment, he thought he saw a face and someone smile at him.

"Huh?" Sawyer asked. "How can it be _you?"_

Then he watched as the lightening shot upwards towards the sky in less then a second and was gone.

_Completely gone._

_Vanished._

_Disappeared._

_No trace of it anywhere_.

Sawyer stood with wide eyes and his mouth open. "What the hell…."

Asuka came storming into the room. She was dressed in her desert fatigues with her cap on her head, around her waist a pistol that she drew from its holster.

She stood over the weakened, beaten, shell of a man and yelled as loud as she could as she pointed her weapon at him. "**YOU ARE UNDER ARREST, YOU FAT-ASSED, POMPOUS, TRAITEROUS SON OF A BITCH**!"

On the floor, Harris let out a groan as he tried to get back up. Sawyer slung his rifle over his shoulder and grabbed Harris by the back of his jacket, picking him off the ground.

"Look who we have here!" Sawyer said as he looked into the face of a very shaken and fearful General Harris. "Looks like you got what you deserved, Traitor!"

"Commander Dell, may I have a word with General Harris?" Asuka asked.

"Oh by all means, General." Sawyer said as he held up Harris by the back of his fatigue jacket.

"Hello, General Harris." Asuka said with a smug look as she saw a weakened, beaten, broken man staring at her. "I should make you pay for what you did!" Asuka growled as she rushed at him and stuck her pistol underneath his chin. "Believe me, nothing would give me greater satisfaction then to blow your head off right now."

Sawyer became nervous as he watched her and was afraid that he would have to stop her. Her eyes were full of hatred and she smiled cruelly as she looked at Harris.

"What you've done would easily constitute and justify my killing you." She growled. "But," She said as she drew her weapon back and stepped back, putting her gun back in its holster. . "I won't decide your fate. However, I will do this!" Asuka growled as she hit Harris hard in the face with the butt on her pistol.

"Ikari?" Harris groaned out as his eyes rolled back into his head.

Asuka continued to smile at him as she said. "Let me tell you what we have in store for you, you fat pompous son of a bitch! We have a lovely cell reserved for you as well a lengthy stay courteously of the very same people you betrayed…the taxpayers of the United States. By the way, thank you for your intelligence…it really helped."

"Ikari." Harris said in a dazed voice, as he felt dizzy.

"Get this putrid, stinking pile of shit out of my sight!." Asuka growled.

"Sure." Sawyer said. "But before I do that." Reaching for Harris' shoulder boards, he ripped them off of his uniform "You don't deserve these!" Sawyer said to him angrily as he shook the shoulder boards in Harris' face and threw them on the ground. "You are under arrest, Mr. Harris, the charges are multiple beginning with treason." Sawyer shoved Harris towards the soldiers and said. "Spray THAT down with the hose and then lock him up!"

The soldiers nodded as they placed the _ex-General_ in handcuffs and then lead him out of the facility.

"Good work." General Ikari said.

"No, we didn't do anything." Sawyer said. "I can't explain it. We got in here and we see this…. this…energy of some kind…"

"…What?" Asuka asked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, before we got in here there was an AT field detected and for a minute, I thought I saw…."

"What?" Asuka asked.

"Shinji." Sawyer said.

"WHO?" Asuka asked.

"I thought I saw…_Shinji._" Sawyer said. "That's impossible though…. I mean…maybe my mind was playing tricks on me or something."

"Odd." Asuka said.

"Commander!" Lt. Fuki said. "Check your relay. You'd better see this."

"What is it?" Sawyer asked.

"Sir, its angel 20…. we've lost Unit 1's signal."

"I'm on my way!" Sawyer said.

"Commander, report immediately as soon as you return!" Asuka said. "I'm going to have a look around here and see what this bastard has been up to. I'll be on the relay."

"Acknowledged, General. I'll contact you from base."

"Acknowledged." Asuka said with a nervous look.

Sawyer quickly ran out of the room and outside to a waiting helicopter where he got in and it took off heading back to NERV Command.

Asuka seated herself at the computer console as she punched in her code to activate the relay and thought to herself. _Energy? Sawyer thought he saw Shinji? What the hell…could it be? Could it really be?_

"General Ikari!" Dr. Ibuki said over the relay in Asuka's headset. "Are you watching this?"

"What?"

"Asuka, there was this…. transformation of some type in Angel 20. It turned into…a backwards tornado type of thing…then there was this AT field…. Bigger then I've ever seen…. or has been recorded…. it was even bigger when Shinji berserker the EVA! It had come out of Angel 20…. and struck into the center of SEELE's base. Then, Angel 20…. it…fell…into this form…. its odd…it looks like…. LCL fluid…. after that, we lost Unit 1's signal."

"What?"

"Yes." Dr. Ibuki said. "Asuka, I'm sorry. Unit One is gone. It was absorbed by the AT field."

"What?" Asuka asked painfully. "Did Hope eject?" Asuka asked in a low voice.

"No, Asuka." Dr. Ibuki said sadly. "She didn't."

"Did you… record it?" Asuka asked.

"Yes. Are you sure you want to see it?" Dr. Ibuki asked.

Asuka breathed in and nodded her head as she said. "I owe it to her. Send me the visual, Maya."

"Okay. Sending now."

Asuka's eyes fixed to the visual and there she watched.

She saw when Hope made Unit 1 run towards Angel 20, merged with it, and saw a large energy discharge.

She saw as Angel 20 turned into a strange upside down funnel formation and saw Unit One dissolve right in front of her.

Asuka put her hand over her mouth as she watched, holding back her sobs.

She watched as a large bolt of white and blue energy had come out from that formation and struck into the center of this very same building and then left just as quickly disappearing into the sky, vanishing without a trace.

She saw the formation lose its cohesiveness and plummet to the ground in the form of what looked like LCL fluid and form into a huge lake.

The visual stopped and the screen went black.

Asuka sat in her chair in front of the monitor, unable to move, her face twisted in grief and pain. She bought up her elbows on the desk and intertwined her fingers together.

She bowed her head, leaning her forehead against her hands; tears fell from her eyes. She couldn't control the sobs that came from her as she thought.

_My daughter._

_My daughter is gone._

_She gave her up her life for us._

_Oh, my Hope!_

_My baby…_

_My precious little girl!_

_I love you._

_I'm so proud of you and I will honor you brave and valiant sacrifice._

_Hope, you were a solider, like me, you valued duty and honor, just as I always taught to you._

_I will miss you all of my life._

_I was glad we got to be together before this Operation and that I could give you Misato's cross._

_I'm glad we were able to have a wonderful night all being together. I know your father would have wanted it that way._

_Shinji, I hope where you are that you are taking care of her._

_I hope that you both watch over all of us everyday._

_Please take care of her, Shinji._

_Wait for me when I get there._

_I promise you, my sweet girl that I'll never forget what you did today._

_I'll tell Sawyer myself._

_I owe him that._

**_"Go to her, Asuka. Bring her back."_**

Raising her head and taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. She breathed out and then cleared her throat as she stood up.

She quickly wiped her tears away and once again appeared to be the commander in charge.

She said firmly. "Ready my chopper now!"

General Ikari then walked out of the room not caring about the laurels she had won but only having one task on her mind at the present time.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Inside of the NERV Command center, Sawyer Dell had just arrived.

He stood staring at the officer at the terminal with his mouth open and his face etched in pain.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a low sad voice.

The officer seated at a terminal took a deep breath as he said. "Commander, I'm sorry but after that, we lost Unit 1's signal. It's gone, sir. Major Ikari's vitals went silent."

"No, it can't be!" Sawyer yelled out. "It can't be."

"I'm sorry, sir." The officer said. "Unit 1 is gone."

"No…." Sawyer said as he shut his eyes, turning his back. "Not Hope. No."

Turning around again, he slammed his fist onto the desk and shut his eyes again, his other hand turning into a shaking fist at his side.

He took a deep breath as he looked back to the monitor that showed the live visual of the large orange lake in the desert.

"Commander Dell, relay from General Ikari."

"Patch her through." Sawyer said in a low voice as he sat down in a chair and put on a headset staring at the monitor.

The image of General Ikari came on; she looked like she was inside of a helicopter, her face looked sad as she said. "You know. Don't you, Sawyer?"

Sawyer nodded as he looked back to her. "Yes."

"Sawyer, the mission is over. We've been successful. I'd like you to accompany me when I go to tell Souke and Reina about Hope." She said sadly.

"Of course, General." Sawyer said.

"I'm going to fly to the lake first. I have to see it for myself, then I'll be at the command center." Asuka said flatly.

"Okay, General." Sawyer said.

"Sawyer, I'm sorry." Asuka said. "Thank you though for loving her as much as you did. Thank you for opening her heart again and making her believe. I'm glad that her last days were with you."

Sawyer nodded as he said. "Thank you, General."

"Ikari out." Asuka said as the monitor blinked off.

Sawyer took a deep breath as he leaned back in the chair. He looked towards the monitor and then got up out of the chair.

He walked out of the command center and outside to the desert.

He stood looking out into the barren landscape of the Sahara and put his hand over his eyes, his fist shaking at his side.

He breathed out as he shut his eyes.

The pain in his heart was like nothing he had ever experienced before and as strong as he was, he couldn't help from having a tear come out of his eye.

"I've lost you." He said aloud.

Standing outside in the sands of the Sahara, he dropped his hand to the side and looked out into the barren desert.

Shutting his eyes, Sawyer listened to the winds and thought he heard someone say to him.

**_"Go to her."_**

Sawyer shook his head as he looked ahead into the desert.

Taking a few steps forward, he took a deep breath, sank to his knees, bowed his head and allowed the pain in his heart to surface.

_I've lost you._

His heart began to break at the thought of never seeing her again.

Another tear rolled out of his eye.

He had loved her so much and he was amazed that in the short time he had known her how he could fall in love so deeply and so quickly.

He couldn't believe that this mission was to be her last and yet, it was the fear that he had all along.

Perhaps that was why they had a romance like that.

It was so passionate and wonderful but it was only to last a short while.

It was enough to give them both what they needed happiness for the hell that was to come.

Now she was gone.

She had died a hero and had done what she said she was going to do.

_For the hope of the world, Hope Ikari gave her life._

_No, it's unfair._ He thought to himself. _It's not right._

_**"Go to her, Sawyer. You know where to go**."_

He thought he heard something; he raised his head and looked,

Staring.

Wondering.

Slowly he stood up and looked out into the desert.

It wasn't as if someone was speaking to him, it was like a voice in the wind, barely audible but the words could be heard.

**_"Go."_**

Sawyer took another look into the desert and then ran as quickly as he could. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him across the desert sands to the large orange LCL lake.

When he arrived he was out of breath and he was sweating profusely, he bent down putting his hands on his knees.

He looked into the calm of the orange sea and then he saw it.

A ripple.

Another ripple

A bubble,

Then,

A drop.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Ripples.

_**"Hope."** ._

She opened her eyes.

She looked around.

Her eyes widened as she found herself floating in a deep orange sea.

She was scared.

Panicked.

Then, she heard it.

**_"Go to the surface, Hope. Go now." _**

_"Daddy, where am I?"_ Hope asked him in her mind.

**_"Go, Hope. Go now or you won't be able to go back. Go now! Don't stop until you get there! He's waiting for you."_**

Hope raised her head and could see light above her; she began with all of her might to swim upward and kept swimming forcing herself to get through.

She turned back and looked down below, he was smiling back at her. He was looking like he always did. White shirt. Blue jeans. Brown hair. His face held a happy and proud smile as he looked back at her.

**"You'll be okay."** He said to her aloud. _"**Go on, Honey, live your life. Give me lots of grandchildren and make me proud. Take care of your mother, brother and your sister. Go ahead. Time for you to go home**_."

_"Were you there the whole time, Dad?"_ Hope asked him in her mind.

**_"Yes."_**

_"What are you going to do now, Dad?"_

**_"I am going to wait."_**

_"Wait?"_ she asked him.

**_"Yes. My destiny and yours have been fulfilled. Now I can move on but I'm going to wait a while. I'll be around sometimes. I'll watch over you all. I won't be able to speak to you again but know I love you and I'm proud of you. Now go live your life and live it the way I told you to, with happiness and love. Remember me. Tell your children about me. Always remember with all of your strength you can do anything in this world. As for me I'm going to wait and watch over you all for a while."_**

Hope smiled at him as she thought. "**Thank you, Daddy. I love you."**

**_"I love you too."_** He said back to her as he reached out to her and only managed to touch her fingertips as she reached back to him.

She felt herself being carried back to the surface as she watched him fall back into the orange sea until he was no longer there, he smiled at her the whole time.

She turned her attention back to the surface.

She came up to the surface, breathing in a large dose of air, out of breath, treading water and smiling.

"SAWYER!" She called out.

Sawyer jumped to his feet and smiled back, as he saw her.

"HOPE!" He called out happily as he felt his heart beating wildly.

She swam over to him quickly and reached up her hand to him.

He ran over to the edge as he grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled her out of the orange lake, looking at her with a smile from ear to ear.

She was drenched but had a wide smile on her face as she breathed heavy.

"Hope…you're okay." He said happily.

Hope nodded at him with a smile, laughing softly with tears in her eyes.

He crushed her soaked body against him as she laughed and wrapped her arms around him.

Staring back at her, with his palms on her cheeks he pressed his lips against hers, kissing her as if she had been gone for over a millennia and never wanted to let go.

As she parted from him and placed her forehead against his breathing heavily, she laughed again, still out of breath and said. "Its good to be back."

"I thought…I'd never see you again." He told her with a smile.

"I thought so too for a while." Hope said to him as she moved her hand through his hair.

"What happened?" he asked her. "I saw you jump into Angel 20 and then this twister thing happened and attacked SEELE and…what was it…do you know?"

Hope nodded. "Yeah, I know what happened. It was my Dad."

"Your…. father?" Sawyer asked with wide eyes.

"I can't explain how but my father…saved me and then he…. kind of became this thing…oh Sawyer, it was unreal." Hope said.

"Thing?" Sawyer asked.

"Yeah, like energy or something….I thought I was crazy!"

"I saw it!" Sawyer told her. "I saw him! He came into SEELE's base and attacked them. That fat General Harris was behind it all! He was the one who killed Isao and the one who killed your father. It was like I could see in this stream of energy…your father smiling at me."

"It was him." Hope said. "What mankind has thrown out of balance…."

"…Will be balanced by the destiny of one." He finished.

"Where did you hear that?" She asked.

"I don't know. I guess, I've always known that." He told her.

"SEELE's been captured?"

Sawyer nodded. "Well, Harris actually killed all of SEELE. Harris is the only one left now. Its over now. Was Unit 1 destroyed?"

"Yeah." Hope said. "It was necessary."

"I think so." Sawyer told her.

"So its over now?" Hope asked.

Sawyer nodded at her and said. "Yeah it is. Are you hurt?" Sawyer asked.

"I was." Hope said. "My shoulder was broken…. in fact…. I was healed somehow. My Dad did it."

"He did?"

"My Dad saved me. Dad helped me to win. All along though it was Dad. He did it all."

"No, I think you did it together." Sawyer said with a smile.

Hope breathed out and smiled at him. "Yeah, but…."

"Some things, Hope. You can't explain."

She looked at him and smiled. "Some things you can."

"Okay, as far as the report goes, don't mention your father's spirit or anything like that, okay? I think we should keep that to ourselves."

"Yes, I know." Hope said with a smirk. "The next thing you know we'll both be on psyche eval."

Sawyer chuckled at back at her as she stared up at him. "Oh, I know that that's why I think its best to…"

"…. Hey, Commander. You still wanna marry me?."

Sawyer smirked as his lips met hers once more where it was long and romantic, holding her as long as he wanted and her arms draped around his neck just as a helicopter flew overhead and started to land. .

Hope and Sawyer held onto one another as they shielded each other from the winds that the chopper created.

As the chopper landed and cut its engine, the door slid open and Hope smiled when she saw who was coming out of it, dressed in desert battle fatigues but looking elated and a bit stunned.

Hope looked over to Sawyer and smiled as they both walked towards the individual.

The individual smiled proudly back walking towards them quickly with tears in her eyes.

Hope walked up to her and then smiled at her as she stood at attention and bought her hand to a salute.

"General Ikari, Operation Sandstorm has been successful."

The General smiling at her proudly, not caring that she was shedding tears, or letting her emotions came through, returned her salute.

Both of them drew their hands back as they looked back at one another.

"Mama." Hope said as she choked back her own tears.

Asuka smiled widely as she came up to her daughter and hugged her tightly, closing her eyes, shedding tears of joy.

"Hope!" Asuka called out happily, as she held her tight.. "I thought I lost you."

"Mama," Hope said softly as she held her mother. "Its over now. They can never hurt us again. They won't be able to hurt anyone ever again."

Asuka pulled back as she watched Sawyer walk over to them and smile at them both.

"Your father would be so proud of you, Hope." Asuka said happily.

"Thanks, Mom." Hope said with a smile.

"Commander Dell, well done." Asuka told him.

"Same to you, General." Sawyer said to her.

"I just heard from the President." Asuka said. "He's very pleased with the way the operation has been handled so has the Japanese Prime Minister. There might be substantial promotions for you both on your new assignments."

Looking back at each other, Sawyer and Hope both smirked saying "Hmmm."

Asuka smiled at the two of them and watched while Sawyer stood beside Hope. She saw Sawyer holding onto her daughter's hand and she nodded her head in approval. "Well, we better get back. The operation is now over and I don't know about you but I hate having sand in my shoes."

Hope chuckled at her mother as she looked up at Sawyer who smiled back at her. As they turned to walk towards the chopper, they heard a strange noise.

All three turned and watched as the LCL lake suddenly vanished right before their eyes.

"Okay," Asuka said as she looked at both of them. ", Definitely leave _that _out of the report."

Sawyer and Hope laughed and continued to walk towards the chopper


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

"General Ikari, report?"

General Asuka Langley Soryu Ikari stepped up to the podium, at the UN in New York City, speaking to a group of delegates. The Japanese Prime Minister and the President of the United States were seated in the room. .

Dressed in her full black dress uniform, she put her glasses on and placed the folder she had been carrying onto to the podium as she spoke.

"Operation Sandstorm was successful in its endeavor:

The identities of SEELE were concealed from the general public and their positions within the United States Senate, the United States Army, the London Parliament, The Japanese Parliament, The Russian Congress, the Chinese Republic, among others, have been turned over to the appropriate governments for further investigation.

UN Peacekeeping forces found SEELE's base and all material has been confiscated or destroyed.

The SEELE member who orchestrated most of these diabolical plots having been confirmed by several captured operatives, as the supposed ringleader, is former Joint Chief of Staff of the US Army, Nathaniel Harris. General Harris executed all eleven SEELE members. This happened prior to Harris' arrest by Commander Dell and myself.

Harris is currently awaiting trial for his crimes including treason. Further investigation showed that Harris deliberately supplied false information and sacrificed the lives of 3,557 US military personnel.

Harris is also being charged with 85 counts of espionage, 2,145 counts of first-degree murders, including the murders of Judge Thomas Kozi, Mr. Shinji Ikari, Major Isao Katsumoto, Major General Robert F. Tully & two US Supreme Court justices. Harris has also been charged with twelve counts of extortion, attempted genocide, seventeen counts of theft, and one hundred counts of illegal drug trafficking.

Hsino Ushida, his accomplice, has been arrested and detained. His license to practice medicine has been revoked and he is now awaiting trial. In custody, Ushida did supply us with crucial evidence explaining in detail how several biohazards were introduced into targets of elimination and how Harris engineered these plots."

Asuka paused for a moment as she took a deep breath and read the next part of her report, taking another deep breath she read while her voice shook.

"Dr. Ushida was found to have engineered the toxin and device that was introduced into the body of Mr. Shinji Ikari which caused him to develop pancreatic cancer and later die from complications arising from. General Harris has been charged with the murder of Mr. Shinji Ikari."

She cleared her throat for a moment and then continued with a firm voice.

"Ushida has been cooperating with authorities in several unexplained cases where key figures in government have become suddenly ill or vanished. Dr. Ushida's assets have been seized and his medical data has been confiscated for further research.

Documents showed that SEELE had indeed found a way to construct the 20th Angel, code named Angel-20. We have destroyed said documents and we have also destroyed the Dead Sea Scrolls that they had within their custody thus, Fourth Impact will never occur.

All data concerning Evangelion has been summarily erased.

The organization known as NERV, designed for observation and implementation of the Evangelion Units, will be dismantled. All personnel will be debriefed and reassigned.

The last Evangelion Unit in active service, Unit 1, was lost in battle with SEELE's artificial entity code named Angel 20. Unit 1 destroyed Angel 20. Unit 01 was completely destroyed during the attack due to a discharge of a large AT field that engulfed Angel 20 and vaporized it. Major Hope Ikari, pilot of Unit 01, successfully ejected herself from the cockpit before Unit 1 was destroyed.

Commander Sawyer Dell of NERV was credited with pinpointing the secret base of SEELE and leading apprehending General Harris..

Commander Dell has been discharged from NERV and he has resigned his position in the CIA. Currently, he resides in Northern Japan, outside of Nagano, where he has started a small business.

Major Hope Ikari is credited for leading a successful attack against Angel 20 and destroying it.

Major Hope Ikari has been discharged from NERV and reposted to the Japanese Air Force base in Nagano, Japan where she will promoted to Lt. Colonel due to the enormous valor displayed by her in a time of war.

Major Ikari sustained no physical or psychological injuries. She was discharged from the hospital under perfect health.

Effective immediately, I have decided to retire as Major General in the Japanese Army and from this committee.

I have valued my time here but now my life is now elsewhere.

Thank you all for your time and attention.

Your briefings contain the data that was just relayed to you.

This data is classified until further notice."

With that, Major General Asuka Langley Soryu Ikari stepped away from the podium and exited the area, walking out of the room.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Asuka sat on her bed, folding away clothes and putting them into her suitcase. A knock on her bedroom door was heard and she raised her head saying. "Come in."

"Mom?"

"Hi, Hope." Asuka said with a grin as she stood up and went to her daughter giving her a hug. "So, I hope I didn't leave it too much of a mess for you?'

Hope chuckled, settling down onto the bed as she said. "Mom, you didn't have to give it to me at all. We could have bought our own place."

"No." Asuka said with a smile. "This was the house you were born in so it shall be the house you will inherit. It's yours, Hope. The title was transferred yesterday. As of tomorrow morning, this is your home."

"I hope Souke and Reina aren't too upset." Hope said. "I mean, I get the house and they get…"

"They are fine with it." Asuka said. "I talked to both of them. I gave each child something that they needed. For Reina it was a roundtrip ticket to New York City, with a fully paid hotel room for a week, as well as a new car, and your Daddy's cello. For Souke, it was that beautiful office set he wanted and your father's boat. They couldn't be happier for you."

"Mom, I don't know how to thank you for this. These gifts they must have set you back somewhat."

"Not really." Asuka said. "Let's just say it was a nice retirement package. That money seemed best spent on the three individuals whom I love with all my heart. I wanted to do that for all of you."

"Mama, you don't have to go." Hope said to her as she smiled. "You could stay here. You know…this house is still a nice size. This is your room, Mom. You love this house. You could stay."

"Yes. I do love this house." Asuka said as she looked around the room. "When your Daddy and me first came here, it wasn't much. It only had a kitchen, a living room and two bedrooms. Your Daddy spent nearly his entire life building up this house. From the first moment I told him I was pregnant with you until nearly his death, he did just that. The year when Reina was born, your Dad threw himself into making this house huge and exactly the way we wanted. Shinji loved to work on this house and so much of him is here. He expanded this house so much from the basic rooms to an upstairs, a den, a beautiful outside deck; he added the garage and the driveway later. He spent hours planning the layout of the property and it was no wonder people gravitated to him as a carpenter. In all of his work, he loved it. Then at night, he would play the cello. You, Souke or Reina would be right by the fireplace listening to every note he played. Those memories are here. They will be here forever."

"You miss him so much, don't you, Mama?" She asked.

"Every day of my life." Asuka said with a smile. "Hope, " Asuka as she smiled at her. ", I know its been a year since Operation Sandstorm but I've always wanted to ask you a question and I've never been able to ask it."

"I think I know what it is." Hope said.

"Hope," Asuka as she smiled. "…. Was he really there with you?"

Hope smiled at her mother as she nodded. "Mama, Daddy saved me. I believe with every fiber of my being that if Daddy hadn't been there, I would have died. Daddy helped me to defeat Angel 20."

"Maya said that it was a harmonic echo." Asuka said.

"Harmonic echoes can't heal your wounds, or wipe away your tears, Mom. Harmonic echoes can't hold your hand when you're scared or guide you to know what's inside of you to be successful." Hope told her as a tear came out of her eye. "Mama, he was there with me and I have no doubt that Daddy took care of SEELE."

"I believe that too." Asuka said with a smile. "I wonder how he was able to though?"

"Mama, from what you told me of when you and Daddy used to fight the angels when you were younger, you found out the angels were actually human who shed their human form for a better way of life. Mama, we were the aggressors first. SEELE actually provoked the angels into an attack and made them our enemies.. Mama, Daddy said to me that he was **an angel**."

Asuka looked at her strangely. "What?"

"What if Daddy was able to become an angel?" Hope asked. "Daddy though wouldn't be malicious or cruel but the power I saw, Mama. He handled it like it was nothing to him and he used it for one purpose only."

"To destroy SEELE."

"That's right. I mean what I saw, Mom. I can't even begin to put into words. What he did…it was amazing." Hope said with a smirk.

"It was funny." Asuka said with a smirk. "When Harris and arrested and then detained, he kept rambling about this white energy that beat him up. He kept saying, Ikari did it, Ikari did it."

"Do you think Harris will be sane enough to attend his own trial?" Hope asked.

"Where Harris is going, with his mind so fouled up, that man will live within his own torture for the rest of his days, and I'm fine with that." Asuka said with a smirk. "At his last exam they said he's basically confined within his own mind and living in insanity. I think that's a fitting end for one who was so evil. From what I understand, the US may just let him rot. I think that's better. To live in insanity in one's own torture would be the best punishment I could imagine for him.".

"Justice was served then." Hope said.

"Yes, it was." Asuka said. "Now, it gives me a chance to relax."

"Mama, I am going to miss you so much." Hope said with a smile.

"Honey." Asuka said with a grin as she sat down next to her and held her daughter's hands. ", I haven't been back to Germany in so long. I haven't lived there since I was a child and you know, I figure that retirement isn't so bad. I mean, living in Germany again will be great. I have more then enough money to get by. I have quite a large nest egg. Not to mention, I still have the hefty retirement package from the army."

"Mom, its so far away." Hope said. "Daddy didn't want you to be alone."

"I'm never alone, Hope." Asuka told her with a smile. "Besides, its not so far I think. Your husband's business is taking off quite well. I am sure that Gaijin-Sawyer could let you use one of his planes to fly the family over to see his mother in law once in a while."

Hope chuckled. "Of course he would! Really though, Mama, why leave? You could be closer and we could visit more. Mom, is it because of Daddy?" Hope asked.

"No, Honey." Asuka said. "It could never be because of Daddy. I love your father, Hope. I always will. Now and forever, I am his wife. Daddy is with me everyday but Daddy asked me to promise him something and that was to live for the both of us. We talked of moving to Germany when I retired."

"Daddy did?" Hope asked. "That's surprising."

"When we went to Europe for our second honeymoon and renewed our vows in the town where my family is originally from, your Dad loved it. We talked of moving there together and leaving the house to one of our children. When he got the cancer, I promised your father, I'd live all of all our dreams for the both of us. Its what I need to do. It's what I promised I would do. Hope, your father is always with me."

"I can see that." Hope said. "I just can't believe what you've given me."

"Honey, if you only knew what you gave me." Asuka said with a gentle smile. "I love you, Hope. You changed my life from the first moment I knew I was carrying you. Seeing you happy like this, I can't explain to you how wonderful it makes me feel. Granted, he's Gaijin-Sawyer but he's a good guy. The day you married him, the only thing I wanted was for your father to be there. Souke did a good job of walking you down the aisle. All in all, your father would have been so proud. I know I was. Hope, I want to give you this house. This house holds so many good memories. You were born in this very same room. From first moment your Dad held you, I never saw a look of so much love on one person's face before. It made me so happy and I was so grateful for you. That's why I gave you that name. You are the hope of our world and you will always be that. So, it seems only natural that this should be your home."

Hope smiled at her mother and hugged her, holding back a tear as she looked back into her face. "I just…. I'd wish you'd be closer, Mama."

"Honey, whether its Germany or here, I'm always close to you. Never forget that. I just hope you and Gaijin-Sawyer get cracking on grandchildren soon."

Hope smiled and chuckled as she looked at her mother, biting her bottom lip and turning a shade of red.

Asuka immediately caught it. "What?" She asked as she leaned in and studied her face. "Your hiding something, young lady."

"No I'm not." Hope answered with another smirk.

"Oh yes you are. Spill it. Now." Asuka told her as she looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "This is no different from when you were a little girl or a mischievous teenager, Hope. I can always tell when you're hiding something."

"Mom, we've all ready started." Hope said with a smile. "I found out a week ago. I found out…I'm almost eight weeks to the day."

Asuka laughed as she looked at her saying. "When were you going to tell me? Don't tell me you would have allowed your mother to board a plane and keep this a secret! Hope, how could you not tell me this?"

"Well, Mom, we were waiting for the right moment to tell you. Sawyer and me thought about telling you around Christmas so it would be extra special. You know we wanted to make it really special for you. It's your first grandchild. It should be like a gift."

"It is a gift. Oh, Hope. I am very happy for you." Asuka said to her as she hugged her daughter once more. "Yet, I'm still leaving for Germany today but I will be back for Christmas."

"We will be more then happy to have you here."

"A grandchild. Wow." Asuka said with a smile as she continued to pack. "Have you thought of a name?" Asuka asked.

"A few." Hope said. "Sawyer and me both liked Asuka Amanda."

"Asuka Amanda?" Asuka asked. "After me? Where did you get Amanda from?"

"Oh, that's Sawyer's mother's name. Sawyer and me really wanted to name the baby after you if it's a girl and if it's a boy we want to call him Shinji David. After our fathers."

"Wow." Asuka said proudly.. "I'm so touched!" Asuka covered he hand over her chest and then said. "However, I like Amanda Asuka much better. Amanda Asuka Dell. Yes, good sound to it."

"Mama, we wanted your name to go first."

"I know." Asuka said. "But Amanda Asuka sounds much more prettier and happier. Trust me on this. You don't want another Asuka running around. I know. I was one. If you had an Asuka running around here, oh boy! Trouble! Major trouble! My namesake, trust me, will be just as devilish as I was!. Having an Amanda it would temper having a middle name like Asuka. Asuka's can be trouble. I know that from experience." She said with a smirk.

"Maybe your right, Ma." Hope said with a smirk.

"Now, go call your idiot brother and tell him to warm up the car."

"I will, Mama." Hope said as she stood up and walked out of the door, calling out. "Souke! Baka, warm the car up!"

Asuka laughed to herself as she heard her daughter and then said under her breath. "Amanda Asuka Dell. She's to be our first-born grandchild, Shinji. Wow, can you believe it? We're going to be grandparents.." Asuka smiled widely and then raised her eyebrow as she answered. "I know, Baka. I think it's wonderful too."


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

TWENTY YEARS LATER.

On the outskirts of the mountains, while children played outside and the cool winds blew through the area, a small cottage was nestled in a quaint, German town.

An elderly woman sat on her porch swing, rocking back and forth. She wore a long, beige colored wool sweater that was wrapped around her and underneath she wore a gray sweatshirt, blue sweatpants and sneakers. Her once fiery, red hair was now all white tied up neatly into a bun

"Grandma?" A young woman's voice asked from within the house.

"Yes?" She answered.

"It's time for lunch now."

She got up and walked into her cottage.

She stopped and looked upon the wall, smiling from ear to ear. All along the walls were pictures of her family. She looked at a large picture with a wood frame around it.

It was of all of them, taken last summer, the last family reunion at her daughter's home in Northern Japan. All of them standing outside, underneath their favorite tree, all them smiling, all of them proud and successful.

She breathed in and she smiled proudly at her oldest daughter. Her name was Hope. She was an officer, a pilot, a General in the Japanese Air Force. She stood next to her American born husband Sawyer, with their arms around each other, smiling happily for the cameras.

_Gaijin-Sawyer_: Asuka's nickname for him. She liked him though. He was a good husband; a good father and he owned a lucrative small airline that he had built himself.

In that same picture, kneeling down in front of their parents with happy smiling faces were their four children, two boys, two girls. Asuka loved the happy, smiling faces. Her first-born grandchild, her granddaughter, was here with her now, visiting for the summer before her first year of college started.

She saw next to her daughter, her son, Souke, her second born. _How much he looked like his father, chestnut brown hair, deep blue eyes, and that smile. He has his Dad's smile._. Her son was smiling proudly, standing with his wife, Kiri, whom he had met at law school many years earlier. He had pursued her for months, until finally she said yes. They had three children. His first born, her grandson, had the same silly smirk that his father had and the two other boys each with the same devilish smiles. How proud she was of her son. He was a lawyer and a good one, a prosecutor. .

She turned to her youngest daughter, Reina, she smiled widely; she had the fiery red hair of her mother and the deep blue eyes of her father. Her smile was impeccable and Asuka immediately saw her younger self in her youngest daughter.

Musically inclined, she took after both of her parents playing both the cello and violin. She lived in the United States in New York City with her husband Phil and their two little girls who smiled proudly for the camera. She was employed at New York Philharmonic and was in the first string section..

In the center of the photo was Asuka standing proudly with her family around her. She had a wide smile on her face and she was dressed well for the party last summer. .

_My legacy_. She thought as she stared upon the wall. _How proud I am_.

Then, she looked to another picture; her favorite out of all of them, taken when he was around thirty.

"Baka Shinji." She said aloud as she tried to hold back tears. She called him that nearly every day.

He was standing outside on a bright summer day underneath their favorite tree. He was wearing a simple long sleeved white button down shirt while his brown hair swayed in the wind. His arms were crossed; he was smiling at her as she took his picture.

She had been married to him for over thirty years before his life was cut short by cancer.

She missed him every day of her life.

"Baka Shinji." She chuckled again.

She reached up and lightly touched the picture with her fingertips, smiling at him. "Baka." She whispered once more as a tear rolled out of her eye.

"Grandma?" A young woman wearing a light blue sweater and a pain of jeans asked as she came from down the hall.

"Amanda." Asuka said as she wiped a tear away.

"What's wrong?" Amanda asked as she stepped over to her.

Asuka smiled as she looked at her granddaughter. _My sweet Amanda_, she thought as she gazed upon the young woman. With her deep blue eyes, soft long brown hair, and a body that most young men in the town couldn't stop drooling over whenever she walked past. Amanda could have been considered to be quite a catch. She was beautiful, sweet, smart and gentle and known sometimes to have a bit of temper too. She was a quarter Japanese, a quarter German, half American Irish-German. She was the apple of Asuka's eye.

"Grandma, are you okay?" Amanda asked.

"Yes," Asuka said quickly with a small smile as she looked back to the wall.

Then Amanda understood. "You miss Grandpa, don't you?"

Asuka nodded as her granddaughter put her arms around her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek.

"I wish I could have known him, Grandma."

"Oh you would have loved him so." Asuka said gently. "I know he is watching over you happily. I know that he is very proud of you, Amanda. You've done so well, my sweet."

Amanda smiled. "Thank you, Grandma. Hey, you know? I never noticed it before, Mom has Grandpa's smile."

"I know." Asuka said gently.

Amanda smiled at her grandmother. .

Every day Grandma Asuka would get up, have breakfast, nap, get up, tend to the garden, stare at the wall, cry a little, stand before her grandfather's picture, call him "baka", have lunch, take a nap, wake up, talk with Amanda and then walk with her granddaughter again. After dinner, once more she would see her go back to her grandfather's picture and hear Grandma Asuka call him "baka." It was a normal routine but this day felt strange and Amanda couldn't tell why.

"Come and have some lunch, Grandma." Amanda told her. "I only have three days left before I have to go home. I want to spend as much time as I can with you."

Asuka smiled and followed her granddaughter to the table.

After lunch, Asuka smiled as she said to her granddaughter. "Amanda, I know we usually take walks after lunch but today I'm a little tired. Would you mind terribly if I take a nap?"

"Not at all, Grandma." Amanda said as she began to clear the dishes and it was then there was a knock on the door.

Asuka raised an eyebrow as she looked at Amanda.

"I'll go see." Amanda said as she took the dishes into the kitchen and then stood at the window, grimacing. "Ugh!"

"What is it?" Asuka asked as she came over to her.

"Its that Baka Heinz Mueller!" Amanda snapped. "Why does this fool like to bother me everyday?"

"Because the boy likes you, Amanda."

"Well, I don't…."

Asuka chuckled as she heard her granddaughter. "Yes, you do…."

"That guy?" Amanda asked. "He's…. such a…_baka_, Grandma!"

Asuka laughed again. "Exactly what I said."

Amanda blushed as she crossed her arms and looked up to the sky. "I have school this September! I don't need some Baka German boy following me around like a puppy! It wouldn't work anyway. I'm going to USC and he lives in Germany. It would never work. Besides, he's a baka! I'm better off without him."

"Oh?" Asuka asked. "Are you sure he's not suddenly the baka because you are going away to school and don't want to admit how you feel about him? I didn't see you minding his company too much last week, young lady. I saw the two of you kissing on the front porch, you didn't seem like you were objecting at all, and from what I was seeing he didn't seem to be such a _bakayaro_ to you then, did he?." Asuka raised her eyebrow and laughed at her.

"Grandma!" Amanda said with wide eyes trying to cover up a smirk with her hand.

"Amanda," Asuka told her with a smile. "Its okay to love the idiot. I had an idiot too for a long time. Just, don't keep them waiting too long. Idiots get antsy. Don't hide how you feel about him, Amanda. Remember, your father does own an airline. I'm sure you could visit a lot more. Besides, the super jets they have now fly around the world in two hours and your Dad told me that he was going to buy two of them. So maybe Gaijin-Sawyer will let his little angel fly to see her baka. I don't think your Dad would mind at all."

Amanda huffed as she raised her eyebrow, then she darted her eyes to her and asked with a smirk. "How is it you know these things?"

"Because, I am your grandmother, that's why. Old ladies are supposed to be wise and also wear sweatpants." Asuka said with a smirk. "Its not so far if you think about it but when I can tell you is don't hide away from love. Embrace it. Amanda, love is the source of your strength. Remember that. True love only happens once in a lifetime and if you're lucky, it can last a lifetime but if you're not careful, it can slip away. Don't let it slip away from you. You've liked this boy from the first moments you met him and every time you come out here, you two are always attached at the hip. I know at this point, you more then like him now."

Amanda smirked and then asked. "Would you mind, Grandma?"

"Go have fun with your idiot." Asuka told her with a smirk as she went over to her rocking recliner by the window and sat in it. "Remember, what I told you. Don't hold back how you feel about him but, also…_exercise judgment, young lady._"

"Grandma!" Amanda chuckled. Then she turned and hugged her as she said happily. "You're the best. I love you, Grandma."

"I love you too." Asuka told her as Amanda kissed her grandmother on the cheek and then went to the door. "Now, go hang out with the idiot."

Amanda chuckled as she went happily to the front door, cleared her throat and opened it.

There, on her doorstep, stood a tall, blond haired German boy wearing a long jacket with a sweater and jeans underneath. The boy, who was flushed, nervously held his hat in his hands.

Casually, Amanda stood with her hand on her hip and looked at him matter of factly. "Hello, Heinz."

"Gun tag, Amanda."

"Yeah, what do you want?" She asked as she looked away.

"I would like to walk with you if you'd let me?" he asked her.

"Hmph! Why should I walk with you, Baka?"

"Because, I think you are special, Amanda Dell. I know you are leaving shortly but I want to be with you as much as I can. I really care for you, Amanda. There is something I must say to you."

"Oh?" Amanda asked.

"Yes…. Ich liebe dich" He said with a small grin.

"Oh…. Heinz…" Amanda became flushed for a moment as she looked at him with her eyes wide and smiled gently. Then, she whispered softly. "I love you too, Heinz."

From her recliner, Asuka watched and giggled like a schoolgirl as she watched the two of them. "Oh, sorry." Asuka said with another giggle.

"Good afternoon, Frau Ikari."

"To you too, Heinz. Have fun you two." Asuka said with a smile.

Amanda smirked and then looked at him as she said. "I should get my coat."

"Oh!" Heinz said as he removed his coat. "You may use mine."

"But, it's cold outside." Amanda said to him.

"I am warm enough. I am a guy. I can handle it."

_Oh, where I have heard that before?_ Asuka chuckled as she looked at him and then continued to rock in the recliner.

"Baka." Amanda smiled again as she walked towards him, turned around and allowed him to drape the coat over her shoulders. "Thank you." She said as she smiled at him. "Let's walk, Baka."

"What does this mean?" Heinz asked. "What is Baka? You call me this all the time yet I never know what it means! What is Baka?"

Amanda chuckled as she said in the sweetest voice she could muster. "Its my special name for you." She stared into the boy's eyes and lightly tapped him on the nose with her finger as she smiled at him..

Heinz smiled widely, breathing out with wide eyes as she reached for the door handle. Looking back at her grandmother, she gave her a wink, smirked and then shut the door.

Asuka watched through the window as the two walked together. She saw Heinz reach for Amanda's hand in which she allowed him to hold hers and they smiled at each other as they continued to walk down the road.

Asuka smiled and chuckled. "You are definitely more my side that's for sure." She said aloud as she laughed.

She relaxed as she sat in her recliner and slowly rocked back and forth.

Feeling a little tired, she pulled the lever on the side of the recliner allowing it to go back. Taking a throw blanket that hung on the arm of the chair, she laid it over her, and yawned as she prepared for her afternoon nap.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, shutting her eyes as she felt her sleep take hold.

As she rested, a smile formed on her lips and she breathed out a single word.

"Baka."

_"Asuka?"_

Slowly, her eyes opened and she smiled wider as her eyes started shining. She felt warm light on her face as she turned her head.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

_"C'mon, Asuka."_ The voice said in a happy tone. _" Let's go."_

She walked onto the grass and looked all around her. She was dressed differently and she felt that she was different, as she felt _lighter._

She was wearing a yellow sundress, her favorite sundress. The sky was a bright blue, the sun was shining and a gentle wind blew.

She looked around and then suddenly she saw something red go past her. "What the…." Asuka's eyes widened as she looked at her hands in front of her and gasped. "Oh my God! I'm…. I'm…Wait a sec…" Asuka said as she raised her eyebrow. "Wow, I'm… not old anymore."

_"Asuka."_

She looked out into the field and she looked back to the person who smiled back at her. She breathed in and placed her hand over her chest. A tear fell from her eye.

He was standing in a grassy field underneath a large tree, it looked like the tree that was back home in Japan, the tree that they used to sit under, kiss under, make love under and play under. He couldn't stop smiling at her as he leaned against the tree with his arms crossed.

He wore a simple white shirt and blue jeans, his hair was not gray but the brown he had when he was younger. In fact, he looked the same way he did when he was younger.

He dropped his hands to the side and came out from under the tree. He walked slowly as he saw her. He breathed in deeply as he looked at her.

_"C'mon, Asuka. I've been waiting for you."_

"SHINJI!" She called out happily, laughing.

He took off running to her.

She smiled wider as she took off running towards him and as she picked up speed, she was calling out to him. "Shinji! You're here!"

She had the largest smile that he had ever seen on her face before. She ran straight to him and leaped into his arms, calling out. "Shinji!" .

He caught her and they both laughed loudly.

"My Asuka." He said happily as he closed his eyes, held her tight, lifted her off the ground and started spinning her around while she hung onto his neck. He stopped as he looked into her face and smiled at her. "Hi." He said to her.

"Baka Shinji!" She said happily as she kissed him. "I've missed you so much!" She said as she kissed him all over his face.

"Asuka!" He laughed from the affections he hadn't had in so long. "I love you!"

"Oh, you idiot! I love you!" She said with another kiss. "Baka! I love you!"

"Asuka…." He said in a breath as he looked back at her and smiled. He shut his eyes as he bought his lips to hers kissing her with everything he was as he held her in his arms. She smiled through their kiss as she hung onto him and stroked his hair.

"Shinji, what's going on? Am I dreaming?"

"No, Asuka. This isn't a dream."

He kissed her again as he held her. She enjoyed the kiss that she missed having in her life. She held onto him tight and then she pinched his nose.

He made a noise as he parted from her lips with a laugh and looked back at with her a smirk and wide eyes. "Why did you do that? Was that for old times sake?"

"It is real!" She said happily. "You're really here and all of this is real, isn't it?"

"Yes, its real." He told her with a smile.

"What is this? Shinji, do you know?" She asked.

He looked into her face and said. "It's a bit of a shock, isn't it?"

Then, she touched her face saying. "My face…. its…Shinji…. I'm…"

"Young again." He finished for her as he set her down and wrapped his arms around her. "You're young again, Asuka!"

"So, are you!" She said as she looked into his face and lightly placed her palm against his cheek, running it through his hair. "I wondered how I could run like that!" Then taking a glance downward, she said. "YES! THEY'RE BACK WHERE THEY SHOULD BE! They're not down to my knees!"

"You never…. really had _that _problem." Shinji said with a smirk. "They were always…." Looking at her chest for a minute, he chuckled as he said. "…. just right."

"Pervert." She told him with a smile. "Oh my God, this is great! We're both young! You look like you're eighteen again, Shinji. Wait! Whoa, what's the catch?" She asked. "Wait…. Shinji, this means that I'm ….I'm…"

Quickly, Asuka turned around and she saw in the distance what appeared to be an oval window and through this window, she saw an old woman lying in a recliner in a house. .

The old woman had a throw over her, her eyes were shut and a smile was across her lips. She was not moving nor breathing but she looked so peaceful and happy.

Asuka's eyes were wide as she looked back to him. "I'm dead now, aren't I?"

Shinji nodded his head as he smiled at her lightly cupping her cheek with his palm. "Its your time now, Asuka. You kept your promise to me. You lived wonderfully. I've seen them all, Asuka. Our grandchildren. I've watched them grow. I'm so proud of our family."

"What happens now?" She asked as she looked into his face.

"Now, we're together forever. We're soul mates, Asuka. We can never be separated."

"Never?" Asuka asked.

"Never." He told her with a smile.

"Idiot!" Asuka growled with a scowl as she grabbed his shirt and looked into his eyes.

Shinji gulped as he looked at her.

"Do you mean to tell me that I'm stuck with you for all of eternity? All of eternity, Shinji?" As she looked into his face with a scowl, her features started to soften and then she smiled back at him, saying. "That's just the way I want it, Idiot."

Shinji smiled at her as his arms came around her, holding her close saying with a laugh. "I love it when you call me an idiot. I haven't heard you say that in so long."

"I've missed you." Asuka said softly with a smile.

"I've missed you too." He said to her as his lips pressed against hers and he held her tight. Both of their eyes shut as they held onto one another and allowed the wind to blow over them. He was giving her the type of kiss that would always make her knees shake and butterflies flutter in her stomach. For her, it was doing just that and more.

As she parted from his lips and opened her eyes she looked into his eyes as he put his forehead against hers and held her.

"Oh, Shinji." Asuka whispered smiling up at him. "I can't believe I'm here now."

"I know." He told her happily as he held onto her hands. "Its true though. We're together now. We can never be torn apart from each other again."

"Are we still…you know…. are we still married?" Asuka asked.

Shinji chuckled at her and cupped her cheek saying gently. "Of course we are! When I married you the first time and when we renewed our vows, we said now and forever, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did."

"So we're still married, Asuka." Shinji said to her.

"I never wanted anyone else except for you. You know that, don't you? There hasn't been anybody since you died. I only wanted you." Asuka said to him gently. "Oh, Shinji, I've wanted to see you so many times. I would have done anything to have you hold me again or kiss me again or just be with me for a minute."

"I'm here with you now and forever." He told her with a smile. "That is if you'll have me still."

"Of course I will." Asuka said to him. "Idiot, don't you know? Forever is how long I signed up for."

He held her in his arms and breathed in deeply as he held her. "I've missed you so much." He told her.

"Me too."

"C'mon, Asuka. Let's go." He said with a smile.

"Where do we go?" Asuka asked.

"C'mon." Shinji said to her with a smile as he took her hand into his and began to walk with her.

Asuka smiled as she followed, walking side by side with him, her hand holding onto his. "What's it like, Shinji?"

"Huh?" he asked. "I don't know what its like really. I mean you hear stories about it but I've never been there."

"You haven't?" She asked as she stopped and looked at him..

"No but don't worry we got in. We're allowed in…. I checked." He told her.

"No, Baka! I meant, why didn't you go?" Asuka asked.

He stopped as he turned to her and then placing his hands on her waist he said gently. "Because if I went in, I couldn't come out. I wanted to be here when you arrived, if I went in there I wouldn't be allowed out. Asuka, it's a one-way ticket when you go in there and you can't come out. You go in of your own choosing. If I went in. We'd have to search to find each other and then you may never have gone in at all. Sometimes people who don't want to die, they wait around or they hang around their family.. I wanted to be here waiting for you so when you arrived so we could go together and never be separated. From what I know, when we go together, we'll be together forever and our family will be able to find us later."

"You've waited for me?" Asuka asked him as she looked at him. "You didn't go there so you could wait for me?"

Stopping for a moment, he looked back at her as his hand slipped around her waist and then bought his finger underneath her chin as he kissed her tenderly. He looked back into her face and he whispered to her. "I've been waiting for you, Asuka. I've been waiting for you so we could go together."

"You've been here all this time?" Asuka asked.

"Not exactly." Shinji told her. "I could also leave this place and go back to Earth sometimes to see you or the kids. I was at Hope's wedding you know. She looked so beautiful and I was so proud of Souke for walking her down the aisle. Then, I saw all of our grandchildren be born. I was sitting right beside you the whole time."

"Could you have….reached out to me?" Asuka asked."

"I tried to." He said to her. "It was only when you slept that I could talk to you."

"Shinji…you didn't go because of me?" She asked. "You've been hanging around with me all this time?"

"That's where I've been, Asuka. I've never left you You, Hope, Souke, Reina. I just wanted to check up on all of you to make sure you were okay. I stayed…. to protect you if I needed to."

"Protect us?" Asuka asked as she looked into his face. "Shinji, when Hope fought Angel 20…were you there? Was that you?"

He nodded. "It was me, Asuka. I did it to help her. I was with her during the battle watching her and when she was hurt, I had to help her, Asuka.".

"Oh, Shinji." Asuka said as her eyes welled up with tears. "You gave her strength."

Shinji smiled at her and told her. "I wanted to keep her safe. I wanted to keep you all safe."

"The energy that beat Harris up too? Was that you too?"

Shinji nodded as he looked at her with a laugh. "I loved the look on your face when you caught that fat jerk and arrested him."

"I knew it was you!" Asuka said. "They tried to tell us it was a…a…harmonic…. echo, I think. I knew otherwise! It was you, Shinji! I knew you were there with her! I knew you saved her! It had to be you! It could only have been you!"

Shinji nodded. "I was there, Asuka. After what SEELE did to us, I'm glad that they got what they deserved."

"You know what SEELE did to you, don't you? Shinji, do you know that I kept the truth from you too?"

Shinji nodded at her. "Asuka, you've never lied to me. You did tell me once but I didn't want to believe it. You were right to hold it back. I would have been scared for our kids all my life. You did it out of love for me. I could never resent you for that."

"Shinji…." Asuka said as she stared up into his face.

"Asuka, nothing you have ever done has ever made me mad…well, one thing did…. but Souke helped you and made you see…. and now, you have lived a rich, full life and did so many things. Asuka, I could never be angry at you." Shinji told her with a smile as he held onto her hand.

"So, you've been around looking after us? You've been watching over us?"

He smiled at her and nodded. "You couldn't follow me into death but I could be with you as you lived life. Sometimes, I'd be here, with you, or with Hope, or Souke or Reina. There was only one thing I wanted though more then anything. I only wished for one more day with you"

"I wanted to be with you so much." Asuka told him as she looked into his face.

"I did too." He said with a smile. "There were times I saw you walk around and I'd talk to you and sometimes, it would be like you could hear me just for a minute because you'd answer me back and all I wanted to do at that point was just hold you and tell you that I loved you."

"I always felt you near me. I thought I was crazy when I heard it but I always answered you back."

"I know you did." He told her.

"Its why I always wore that sweater. I felt so connected to you whenever I wore that." She said as she pointed to the old woman in the chair. "Why am I still seeing myself like that?" Asuka asked as she looked at him.

Shinji bowed his head for a minute and then looked into her eyes saying sadly. "Everyone has the choice to return if they want to."

"I could go _back_?" Asuka asked wide-eyed.

He nodded at her sadly. "I wanted to come back when I died. I tried to but I couldn't. My body wouldn't allow itself to live anymore. As long as your body accepts your soul, you could live again, Asuka. If your body can't exist anymore, you have to come here.."

"I could go back?" Asuka asked as she looked back to the old woman in the chair. She shut her eyes, and then she looked back to Shinji with a small tear in her eye saying softly. "I just…. I think about Amanda…. and …all of our grandchildren…. our children." Asuka said as she looked back. "I love them so much, Shinji. I am going to miss them. They make me smile everyday. They talk to me over the computer or call me on the phone. Once a week Hope and Sawyer fly out to see me. Souke comes by with his boys and his wife. Reina comes out from New York with Phil and the girls when she can. I would miss them so much. They make me feel wonderful. Shinji, is this right? Should I stay here? Should I go back to them? What should I do?"

"I'll be honest, I want to be selfish and tell you to stay." He said with a smile. "but, if you think that they need you, then I would understand if you wanted to go back."

Asuka looked back at the old woman lying in the recliner and then turned to Shinji's face. "Do you think I should go back?" Asuka asked.

Shinji breathed in with sadness in his eyes as he said. "If you feel that they really need you and you're worried about how they'll be without you, then I think you should go back. You could if you want to. You can go back. I'll wait until you come back here." He paused for a minute as he bowed his head and then looked back at her with a tear in his eye saying. "Maybe, I'll go down with you and hang around for a while. Maybe, you'll be able to see me and maybe…. we could be together for a while down there. You know I do that sometimes. I love to hang around and watch you do stuff. I was happy when you came back to Germany. We had a great time there. Do you remember?"

"I remember." Asuka said happily.

"You could go back to living, Asuka." He told her as the tear came down his face. "If you want to, I'll still wait for you. I'll still hang around. I won't be angry. I got to see you one more time. I got to hold you and touch you. I had the kiss from you that I've missed so much that it's made my heart ache." He sniffled as he looked away for a moment.

"Shinji." Asuka said softly as he touched his cheek and watched as his eyes shut. "Oh, Shinji…. I don't know what to do. I want to be with you but I love them so much." Tears came out of her eyes as she looked at him.

He reached for her hand and covered it with his hand as he gently turned his face and held her hand as he kissed her palm while he tried not to sob.

Opening his eyes slowly, he looked back at her while the tears kept flowing. He reached for her and held her tight as he said through small sobs.

"If you want, you can go back. I'll be here when you get back. I promise you that I'll wait for you as long as it takes. I won't go in without you, Asuka. I can't follow you back there to live but I can be with you in spirit. Where you go is where I go. I love you, Asuka. You're my heart and soul. I'd wait forever for you. If you want to live a little more, you can if you want. I'll even walk you back there and send you back myself. Just…give me one thing before you go back?"

She looked into his eyes and smiled as she heard him. "Anything." She responded.

"Asuka, kiss me one last time before you go."

Asuka looked back to the old woman in the chair. She sighed and then looked back at him.

She looked into his face and thought of her family.

She saw the tears in his eyes and it made her heart ache.

As she thought of her family and then looking into those eyes, she smiled and said softly.. "I don't want to go back."

"Are you sure, Asuka?" he asked her gently. "Life is a lot of fun. A lot of people are going to miss you. You could go back. I'd understand."

"I lived my life well and long, just like you told me to do. The kids are okay. Our grandchildren are fine. I'm ready just to be with you, now and forever." Asuka said gently with a smile. "Sure, they'll miss me but they'll know I am happy where I am because now I'm with you."

"Are you sure?" he asked her with a smile as a tear came out of his eye.

"I am more sure about this then anything ever before in my life." Asuka told him as she looked at him. "I love you and I want to be with you forever."

Shinji smiled and said. "I want that too."

"Will you have me?" Asuka asked with a smile as she looked up at him.

"You know the answer to that." He smiled widely at her as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers. Her arms went around his neck as they both smiled through their kiss and held onto each other.

He kissed her sweetly and tenderly, holding her tight, never wanting to let her go for a second.

The image of the old woman in the recliner faded away.

Asuka held onto him tight as the two of them continued to kiss each other as the wind blew through their hair.

The two of them felt like their heads were spinning and their hearts were beating rapidly for each other.

Parting from each other's lips, they both smiled at each other. As Shinji looked back at her, he took her hand and together they began to walk. She put her arm around his abdomen as his arm slipped around her back. She moved closer into his body and leaned on him as they walked.

As they walked they stopped as they both smiled looking out into something that they had never seen before. "Look," Shinji said to her as he stared at it with wonder. "Do you see it?"

"Yes." Asuka said with a wide smile. "It's more beautiful then I could ever imagine. I've never seen anything so beautiful before."

"Let's go, Asuka." He said happily to her as they both walked forward.

They walked forward to a white light that was bright but not harsh to look at. It was inviting and warm.

As they walked in, they felt so much love in their hearts and they smiled at one another. Gently, they kissed each other as they both walked in further and then went inside of the light, disappearing into it.

From that moment on, they were together forever never to be separated again.

END.

A/N: Well, there's your sequel to _After Impact_. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading & reviewing. All of your comments and all of your emails were great and I have appreciated every single one of them. Just to let you know if you want to be notified when the After Impact & Destiny of One sections on JPonline will be available, just send us an email. We'll put you on the mailing list and when the new sections are up. We're also looking for fan art too so if you loved the stories, do a pic and if we like it, we'll put it up.. . Thanks to you all. Most especially, thank you Nic2951. You by the far have been _After Impact & Destiny of One'_s biggest reader and reviewer and I can't thank you enough. Also big thanks to BigDave. SteamedDumpling. Dar Sel'La also big thanks to my J&P Crew Pac, Rich, Yoko, Jonny, Nausicaa, DSD, Ice & Lulu. You have guys have been great thank you for helping me to write this story and inspiring me to complete it. I am so glad I did this story and I am so glad that you all loved it.

Lastly, I have to say thank you to Hideki Anno who created Evangelion and made it great all though I think that he needs to go forward after End of Eva. Come on, Hideki. We need a sequel. LOL.

Take care everyone and thanks.

Okay, roll credits.


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